


The Collector's Chronicles I: The Lost Star

by Lady_Thorette08



Series: The Collector's Chronicles [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-04-26 13:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 80,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5007073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Thorette08/pseuds/Lady_Thorette08
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I also have this story published on Wattpad, but I heard I would get better reviews on here. I hope that's true! Thanks to everyone who reads this!</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I also have this story published on Wattpad, but I heard I would get better reviews on here. I hope that's true! Thanks to everyone who reads this!

Years ago....  
"Sierra, run!!!!"  
Sierra stood frozen, too horrified to move, the staggered beating of her heart echoing in her ears, "B-b-but-"  
"Sierra, go now!" Karen ordered angrily.  
"B-but what about you?!" Sierra cried.  
"SIERRA, GO!!!!" Karen screamed.  
"NO!!!!!" Sierra stated, stomping her foot like a small child, "You and I took this mission on together, and we're going to finish it together too!"  
"Sierra, listen to me very closely," Karen stated, looking Sierra dead in the eyes. Sierra felt her stomach immediately drop into a bottomless void when she saw the look in the other woman's eyes.  
"I'm not getting out of this one. I've already used up most of my magic power."  
"Then just call Leo-"  
"No!" Karen seethed angrily, "I REFUSE to ask for his help!"  
"Karen, don't be stupid! Call him! Your pride isn't worth your life!"  
Karen looked away from Sierra's tearful, begging gaze as if she was actually considering what the younger girl had said. For a brief moment, Sierra's heart filled with the warmth of hope, but when she saw Karen's gaze harden again, it disintegrated into nothingness.  
"Sierra, Leo humiliated me; I can never forgive him for that. So please, just go!"  
"I won't!"  
"You don't have a choice!" Karen stated before giving Sierra a rough shove.  
Sierra let out a startled squeal as she stumbled backwards over a steep incline.  
"Karen!" She screamed as she fell. Reaching into her pocket, she fumbled with her keyring and grabbed hold of one, "Gate of the Healer, I open thee! Apollo, catch me please!"  
There was a blinding flash of light, and as Sierra braced herself for hitting the ground, a pair of strong arms caught her. Sierra opened her eyes and looked up to see Apollo gazing down at her from behind a curtain of perfect, glowing blonde hair.  
"You called?" he purred.  
Sierra immediately began to cry, causing a troubled frown to cross Apollo's face, "My lady?"  
"Karen's going to die! Please please please don't let her die!" Sierra hiccuped miserably.  
"As you wish," Apollo said before gently setting Sierra on the ground and vanishing.  
Sierra immediately curled up into a small, shivering ball, rocking back and forth.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
At around midnight, Sierra heard footsteps and raised her head to see a lone figure trudging towards her. Instinctively, she grabbed hold of her keys.  
"My lady?" a hoarse voice croaked.  
Sierra's eyes widened, "Apollo?"  
The light of the moon spilling through the trees illuminated Apollo's body, which was covered in dirt and bloody gashes. His once pure white shirt was now covered in stains and his perfect hair was full of mats. As his foot hit a root sticking up out of the dirt, he tumbled to his knees with a thud and remained on the ground, panting heavily.  
"Apollo! What happened?! Where's Karen?!" Sierra cried, running to his side.  
Apollo hung his head shamefully, causing Sierra's heart to drop.  
"I'm sorry, my lady. I am not worthy of even being in your presence," he mumbled.  
Sierra bit back a cry, her lip bleeding slightly, "No..."  
"I'll talk to Hades, but the best I'll be able to do is get her a minor punishment," Apollo stated.  
"You....you said you wouldn't let her die," Sierra stated, sadness morphing into rage as she curled her hands into fists, "YOU GAVE ME YOUR WORD, SO WHY IS SHE DEAD, APOLLO?!?! WHY IS SHE DEAD?!?!"  
Apollo said nothing.  
"Go. Home," Sierra said through gritted teeth, tears streaming freely down her flushed cheeks.  
"But, my lady, I can not leave you alone in this state-"  
"I. Said. Go. Home. Apollo," Sierra said again, glaring at him angrily, "Don't make me repeat myself."  
Apollo sighed. "As you wish, my lady," he said before disappearing in a ripple of light.  
For a moment, Sierra just stood there, alone in the middle of the woods. Then, with a woeful wail, she collapsed to the forest floor and cried.  
"Leo, why did you let this happen?" she sniffed, "Why did you let Karen die? Why did you let me down?"  
She sniffed again, choking a little as she accidentally inhaled some loose dirt.  
"I'm not mad, I swear. Please, Leo, come out. Help me."  
A cool breeze rustled the leaves of the trees as wolves howled in the distance. Sierra whimpered, looking up at the moon before closing her eyes, "Please."


	2. Chapter 2

The Present... 

"Huh? A Dragon Hunter? Oi, what's that, Gajeel?" Natsu asked as he and Happy stared at the request board.

"How should I know?" Gajeel grumbled from his place slouched against the wall.

"Because you're a Dragon Slayer, Metalhead!" Natsu snapped.

"So are you, Flamebreath, and do you know?"

"No! That's why I asked you in the first place, Scrap Metal!"

"Don't get mad at me over your own stupidity, Ash Brain!" Gajeel snarled, sticking his face in front of Natsu's, who just snarled back, his hands bursting into flames.

"You wanna go, Rusty?!" he hissed, grinning wickedly.

Gajeel glared at him emotionlessly before smirking and punching Natsu square in the face, "Does that answer your question?"

And that's how the entire guild of Fairy Tail got into another tussle that morning and why Lucy got smacked in the face with a chair when she walked through the door with Wendy and Levy.

"Ow! What the heck, you guys?!" she exclaimed, clutching her nose as it gushed a fountain of fresh blood.

"Lucy, you're bleeding!" Wendy exclaimed in horror. She grabbed the blonde girl's hand and pulled her toward a bench, forcing her to sit down. 

"Hold still," the bluenette ordered her as she held out her hands and casted a healing spell.

"Thank you, Wendy," Lucy smiled as she wiped away the remaining blood. She looked up at the chaos before them and sighed, "I wonder who started the fight this time?"

"Does it really matter?" Levy asked as she sat down beside her friend and watched the brawl.

"I guess not," Lucy sighed, "Wanna go look at the request board?"

Levy and Wendy nodded, so slowly, the three girls inched their way along the wall toward the request board, dodging the occasional table, chair, or other flying object that came hurdling toward them. However, just as they were about to reach their destination, Natsu and Gajeel fell right in front of them, wrestling with each other. Natsu's eyes immediately.

"Hey! Watch it!" Lucy snapped at the two of them angrily.

"Lucy? Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed as an idea popped into his head, "You're smart, aren't you?"

"What kind of question in that?" Lucy asked, slightly offended.

"What's a Dragon Hunter?" Natsu asked as he casually punched Gajeel in the face and tried to kick him off of him.

"Dragon Hunter?" Lucy cocked an eyebrow, "Isn't that just another name for a Dragon Slayer?"

"I don't know! Is it?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"How should I know?! I thought you were the dragon expert here!" Lucy shouted back, "Why don't you just ask Mirajane?"

"Maybe I will!" Natsu huffed, finally shoving Gajeel off of him and storming over to the bar counter, "Hey, Mira! What's a Dragon Hunter?"

"Well, from my understanding, they hunt dragons and dragon slayers alike. They all have different motives, but the particular ones mentioned in the request you were looking at are mercenaries and bounty hunters who take jobs for the thrill of the chase. I hear they're nuisances to whichever town they stay in as well."

"Makes sense why the town mayor would send us a request asking to get rid of them then," Natsu stated, grabbing the paper and ripping it off of the request board, "Happy, are ya game?"

"Aye sir!" the blue Exceed replied in his usual cheery voice.

"Then let's go!" Natsu exclaimed before racing toward the guild hall's doors.

"Natsu, where are you going, you baka?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Uh, to go do this job," Natsu replied, obviously confused as to why he had been stopped.

"These people specialize in hunting Dragon Slayers! You can't go by yourself!"

"I'm not going by myself! I have Happy!"

"Aye!"

"Yeah, because a flying blue cat is totally going to be useful in a fight."

"Ouch! Why do you gotta be so mean, Lucy?!" Happy cried.

"We'll be fine, Lucy! In case you haven't noticed, we're big boys!" Natsu stated, grinning like an idiot. He and Happy pushed open the doors of the guild, "See ya!"

"Wait, Natsu! Let me at least get Erza or Gray..." Lucy began, but the wizard and the Exceed were already out the door.

(Happy: Hey, don't I count as a wizard too?!

Admin: Happy, be quiet! I'm not done with the chapter yet!

Happy: You're so mean, Admin-san! *runs off crying*)

\----------------------------------------------

"That's a pretty pricey reward just for catching a couple of punks," Natsu stated, rereading the flyer as he walked down the dirt road with Happy hovering beside him.

"I can practically taste the fish already," Happy sighed dreamily, his mouth watering.

"We're not buying fish with this money, Happy," Natsu stated.

"WHAT?!" Happy's eyes immediately went wide as his entire body, wings included, went stiff with shock, causing him to fall to the earth with a soft thump.

"It's going to be Lucy's birthday soon, and we need to get her a nice present," the pink-haired dragon wizard continued casually. "That being said, we can't spend a lot of money on personal luxuries right now."

"B-b-but Natsu, think about all the fish..." Happy whined.

"If you want a fish that badly, I can catch you one when we get home," Natsu replied firmly.

Happy sighed and looking at his feet, began walking beside Natsu, "It better be a really big fish..." He was quiet for a moment, "Natsu, Lucy was just being overdramatic back at the guild, right? We'll be able to beat these guys without a problem?"

"Of course! If I can't beat a couple of wanna bes then I don't have the right to be called a dragon slayer!" Natsu said, flashing a Cheshire grin, "Well finish this job easy peasy, get the money, buy Lucy her present, and then chill at home for awhile. We've got nothing to worry about!"

(Admin: And, done! *hits the save button*

Happy: *runs in* Admin-san! I'm a real wizard, and I'm going to prove it to you. *grabs a toy fairy wand*

Admin: That's a toy, Happy!

Happy: I curse you to become-a toad woman! *accidentally throws the wand and hits Admin on the leg*

Admin: *sighs* I don't have time to deal with you right now. *grabs key* Gate of the Guard Dog, I open thee. Cerberus!

Happy: You're so mean, Admin-san! *is chased out by Cerberus*)


	3. Chapter 3

"Oi, Happy, I thought the flyer said these people were being oppressed by a band of Dragon Hunters."

"It did."

"They don't look very oppressed to me."

Natsu and Happy had just arrived at the village that sent out the flyer and were shocked to find people dancing and laughing in the streets like merry drunks.

"Natsu, did you read the directions right?" Happy asked.

"Of course I did! I'm not an idiot, Happy!" Natsu fumed.

"Then what's going on?"

"I don't know. But we better locate the mayor and find out," the pink-haired dragon slayer stated as he hoisted his backpack higher onto his shoulder and began weaving his way through the crowd, tapping on people's shoulders to get their attention.

"Have you seen the mayor?" 

"Do you know where the mayor is?" 

"Excuse me, I'm a wizard, and I'm looking for your mayor, the one who sent out this flyer indicating that this village needed some help. Do you know where he or she is?"

No matter whom was asked, the answer remained the same for person. It seemed that no one knew where the mayor was. Natsu let out an annoyed sigh.

"I don't have time for wild goose chases." he muttered to himself. "Come on, Happy. We're heading back to Magnolia and picking another job."

"But what about all the money? And the fish?"

"We don't have time to play hide-and-seek with the mayor, Happy. Time's wasting and we need to get some extra cash for Lucy's birthday present!"

"I still don't understand why we can't give Lucy some fish as a present." Happy sighed sadly.

"Pst!"

Natsu's ears immediately perked up and his eyes snapped up to scan his surroundings, "Who said that?!"

"Are you a wizard?"

The raspy voice was coming from an alley to Natsu's left. As his eyes adjusted, the Dragon Slayer could make out the face of a little old man no taller than three feet, his round, chubby face a mesh of leathery wrinkles and his eyes no more than squinty black slits. He was slouched against a rather spindly looking cane that should've broken under the pudgy man's weight, but it supported his feeble body without so much as a shake.

Natsu nodded his head, "Yeah, my partner and I we're interested in that job you offered."

"The job? Oh dear, oh dear!" the old man muttered, running his fingers through his thinning gray hair. His eyes darted nervously to the joyous townsfolk before raising a shriveled hand and beckoning Natsu forward, "Come with me and do so quickly! We don't have much time, but I don't want the people to hear this."

Natsu raised a suspicious eyebrow but took a step toward the alley.

"Natsu! What are you doing?!" Happy exclaimed, "You can't go with him!"

"Why not?"

"Because he could be dangerous! He was lurking around in an alleyway, and now he wants you to follow him. That's creepy!"

"Relax, Happy. We're not in any danger. We're from Fairy Tail, remember? We've got nothing to fear!" Natsu stated before heading into the alleyway and chasing after the old man.

"I hope you're right," Happy grumbled before flying after him.

The mayor moved rather quickly for looking so frail, and soon he had guided Natsu and Happy to the edge of the village where their only witnesses were the birds.

"Great, nobody else is around. That isn't creepy or suspicious at all!" Happy said sarcastically.

"Oh, would you be quiet?" Natsu muttered. He turned back to the mayor, "Okay, Pops, what's the deal? The flyer said you guys needed someone to get rid of some Dragon Hunters who were oppressing your town, but from what I just saw, everything looks just fine."

The old man trembled and with a bemoaned wail proceeded to bury his face in his hands, "Oh mighty wizard, my people and I have committed a terrible sin, and I need your help to makes amends."

That caught Natsu offguard, "Huh?"

"The flyer wasn't lying. Before this morning, we were being oppressed by a group of Dragon Hunters known as The Reaping Crew. They were looking for a Dragon Slayer that was hiding somewhere in the surrounding area, so they decided to crash in our town until they found her. Now, the Dragon Slayer was a good friend of mine, and I didn't want to hand her over to those bastards. But their awful treatment of us became too much for the townsfolk to handle. The minute they learned of the girl's location, they dragged her out of hiding and handed her over."

"She sounds like a lame wizard if she couldn't fight of a small mob," Natsu mumbled.

"Oh, she could've beaten them, yes indeed, but she didn't want to hurt anyone! And now I feel terrible! Please, you have to go free her!"

Natsu frowned and rubbed his chin, "I don't know-"

"I'll double the original reward."

The Dragon Slayer's eyes immediately lit up. "You've got a deal, old dude!" he exclaimed cheerfully, shaking the mayor's hand. "Come on, Happy! Let's go!"

"But I'm hungry!"

"We'll eat later. Hurry up!" Natsu called as he sprinted off into the forest, Happy hovering glumly behind him.

\----------------------------------------------

"Natsu, I need to rest."

"Not now, Happy! We're so close!"

It had taken around an hour or so of wandering aimlessly through the forest, but Natsu finally picked up the unique scent that only Dragon Slayers carried. It was hard to describe, but also quite simple at the same time. Each scent was slightly different from the other due to the diversity of dragons, but all of them contained an odor that only comes from the hide of a real dragon. This scent smelled slightly musty, like a dragon that had rolled in a fresh patch of earth. Given that they were in the middle of a forest, the scent should have been hard to follow, but Natsu's excellent nose prevailed as always. He and Happy had been traveling for another hour, his nose guiding them, and now the scent was almost overpowering, indicating that the girl was nearby.

"Natsu-I can't move-another inch," Happy exclaimed before collapsing onto the ground.

"Fine. Stay here then. I'll get the Dragon Slayer by myself," Natsu stated as he continued walking.

"Be careful, Natsu," Happy whimpered.

The pink-haired wizard brushed aside various branches in his path as he crept closer and closer to the scent's source. Soon, he could hear the squeaking of wooden wheels and the steady clip clop of hooves. Kneeling behind a bush for cover, Natsu peered through the leaves and saw a cart being drawn by a large Clydesdale. On each side of the vehicle marched one man with two more trailing the rear. Meanwhile, sitting in the driver's seat was a twig of a man, his dark, soulless eyes staring blankly at the road ahead, his pale lips pressed together in a firm, straight line. He didn't look like much of a threat, but Natsu's stomach did nervous flips as he stared at him. He shifting his gaze to the back of the wagon, which bore a large cage. Chained to the floor was a girl around Natsu's age, her tiny frame resting against the rough wood, her back to the Fairy Tail wizard. However, as the wagon drove by, she sniffed deeply and raised her head, scanning her surroundings till she locked eyes with Natsu. Tension immediately built between the two of them as the woman glared daggers at him. Then she dismissed him with an eye roll and returned her head to its resting place on top of her right forearm. 

Natsu was shocked. Angrily, he clenched his fists as his face turned bright red. How dare she! He was trying to save her, the little priss! Did she seriously not understand that?! Shifting his bodyweight from the balls of his feet to his heels, Natsu bit his lip in deep thought. Maybe he should just leave her? No, he realized. He couldn't do that. He had to get that money for Lucy's present.

"Lucy, you better be extremely thankful for that bloody gift." He muttered to himself as he slowly slank away from the road.

\----------------------------------------------

Once the sun had concealed itself behind the horizon, the group of Dragon Hunters stopped to make camp for the night. All five men gathered around the bonfire as it crackled and hissed, licking hungrily at the air as it stretched it glowing fingertips toward the night sky.

"It's kinda pretty, isn't it?" one of the men murmured, his youthful green eyes gazing up at the sky thoughtfully. He winced as he was roughly smacked upside the head, his shaggy orange hair doing little to lessen to force of the blow, and turned to glare at the boy beside him.

"Don't be so soft, Yin," the other boy muttered coldly, his arms folded tightly across his chest, "otherwise I'll have to beat you up again."

Yin let out an annoyed huff, "What's got you in such a bad mood, Yang? We have the Dragon Slayer, so we're going to get a lot of money! That's something to be happy about!"

"You're so naive," Yang muttered, his sapphire eyes watching the flames as they danced.

"As naive as he is, your brother is right, Yang. You need to loosen up a bit," the third man stated. He was without a doubt the burliest and most intimidating out of the entire group, his enormous biceps quivering every time he moved. The light of the fireplace gave his tan skin a glowing effect as he sat propped against a large oak tree, one hand running through his spiky blonde hair.

"Well, not all of us can afford to be as carefree as you, Wolfgang," Yang grumbled while picking up a stick and poking at the fire with it, "Some of us have to worry about the big picture."

"Aw, can ta knock it off with all that deeper meaning crap? I'm brawn, not brains, in case you've forgotten." Wolfgang stated.

"Oh trust me, I know."

"What's that supposed to mean, you little twerp?! You wanna go?!"

The fourth man sighed as he listened to Yang and Wolfgang argue. After poking at the fire with a stick a few more times, he grabbed a plate and began to load it with food from the pot cooking over the flames. He carried the plate over to the final man and bowed respectfully as he handed it to him. A disgusted sneer graced the man's lips and he immediately handed the plate back to his accomplice.

"I'm not hungry at the moment, Sensus. Please feed that to the prisoner instead," he muttered.

Sensus bowed again and headed toward the back of the cart. Meanwhile, the final member of the group pinched the bridge of his nose as Wolfgang and Yang's bickering echoed in his ears, "Both of you, shut up!"

Yang's jaw dropped, "B-but Master Solomon-"

"I said shut up!"

Silence immediately fell over the camp.

"Aw, what's the matter, Sully? Do you have another headache?" a voice sang teasingly. The Dragon Hunters all looked at the back of the wagon, where the caged Dragon Slayer was sitting with her back pressed against the bars of her prison, a small smirk dancing across her lips. 

"Sensus, how is she able to speak if you are forcing food down her throat?"

"Sorry, Master Solomon." Sensus stated, bowing again, and reached between the bars of the cage to grab the girl by the back of her neck. She gasped in pain, her entire body tensing for a moment before collapsing lifelessly. Sensus easily slipped into the back of the wagon and unlocked the door to the cage. Stepping inside, he crouched beside the woman, the plate of warm glop in his hands. The girl stared the brown, bubbling substance in disgusted, pressing her lips together firmly as it was brought to them by a rusty spoon. Sensus sighed and touched her lips gently with his fingertips. She winced in pain again, her lips loosening, and Sensus gently pushed them apart as a loud grumbling noise echoed in his ears.

"Stop being so stubborn." He whispered bluntly. "You can pretend that you're not hungry all you want, but the truth is, I can hear your stomach growling."

"That wasn't her stomach, Squinty Eyes."

Suddenly the fire leaped up from the coal and shot through the air in a straight line heading toward the forest. Standing in the shadows was a lone figure, the fire wrapping around him as it headed into his mouth. As the last couple flames disappeared into his maw, the boy wiped his mouth and grinned, his eyes dancing with a crazy light.

"It was mine. And now that I've eaten, I'm all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed, balling his hands into and bringing his elbows to his sides in a fighting stance. 

"Wow! A Fire Dragon Slayer!" Yin exclaimed in awe. "Yang, this is amazing! Two Dragon Slayers in one day? We're going to be rich!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Yin." Yang chastised his younger twin, "We can't let fantasies cloud our mind. We must remain focused." He turned to Natsu. "Are you dumb, Dragon Slayer? Don't you know what we are? Do you really think you can defeat us?"

"I don't think I can; I know I will," Natsu stated firmly.

"Alright, if you insist, we'll fight you. Would you like to take this one, Yin, or should I handle it?"

"To heck with both of you! I'm taking this one! He looks fun!" Wolfgang exclaimed, shoving the twins aside and charging at Natsu, "Takeover: Chimera Heart!"

Natsu was slightly taken aback as Wolfgang's body began to change. Nine inch nails grew from his fingertips as hair as red as blood shot up his forearms, and his blonde hair grew about three feet. Two long, twisted horn sprouted from the top of his head, and a long, green serpentine tail shot out from his backside. His teeth sharpened into fangs, shimmering, lavender poison dripping from his canines and landed on the wispy white goatee that had grown on his chin. Natsu barely had time to dodge, and Wolfgang's long claws raked along his shoulder. The Dragon Slayer winced and twisted in midair so head would land on his feet. Sliding backwards along the dirt, he glared at the Dragon Hunter and tried to lunge back at him when he realized he couldn't move his feet. Looking down, Natsu found that the earth beneath him had turned soft and was slowly pulling him down.

"Aw, Master, what'd you do that for?! I didn't even get to fight him!" Wolfgang whined, stomping his foot like a child.

"We don't have time to waste playing games, Wolfgang. Plus, your roughhousing might have broken the cage and let the girl escape," Solomon stated firmly, pulling a cigar from his pocket and lighting it. "Sensus, please handle this."

"Oi, let me go and fight me like a real man, you little beanpole!" Natsu howled angrily, "Roar of the Fire-"

Suddenly, Natsu felt icy fingers gently brush against his neck, and agonizing pain ripped through his entire body before everything went numb. His legs have out beneath him, and as he fell, Natsu saw the other Dragon Slayer glaring at him from inside her cage. Then he hit the ground and everything went black.

 

(Happy: Natsu, no! Why did you make Natsu lose, Admin-san?! *sobs*

Admin: I didn't make him lose, Happy. That is just what happened.

Happy: *wipes his eyes* I know...but I still think it's your fault.

Admin: Whatever. *huffs*

Happy: But I don't understand. Why did Natsu get stuck? He wasn't standing on sinking sand.

Admin: Oo, I would love to tell you, but that would be a spoiler!

Happy: That's not fair, Admin-san!

Admin: Life isn't fair, Happy.

Happy: Meanie. *thinks* Hey, Admin-san, what's a Chimera?

Admin: *smirks deviously* Would you like me to show you?

Happy: No, wait! Forget I asked!

Admin: *grabs key* Gate of the Hybrid Beast, I open thee! Chimera!

Happy: ADMIN-SAN!!!!! *is chased away by Chimera*)


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe I actually thought you had a brain."

With a groan, Natsu opened his eyes, hissing as the bright noon sunlight burned his retinas. As everything began to adjust, Natsu could make out the form of the girl form earlier, her dark brown staring at him in annoyance from the opposite side of the cage. Wait, the cage?!?! Natsu immediately shot off the ground.

"What the heck?! How did I get in here?! Hey, Dragon Hunters, if you're so strong, let me out and fight me man to man! I dare ya!" the pink-haired Dragon Slayer screamed as he yanked on the bars of the cage.

"Did you learn nothing from earlier?" the girl asked.

"Hey, are you bastards even listening to me?!"

"I'll take that as a no." She stated, rolling her eyes.

Suddenly, the wagon hit a bump in the road, causing the entire vehicle to lurch. Natsu froze.

"W-w-wait a minute, are we moving?" he whimpered.

The other Dragon Slayer cocked an eyebrow, "Yeah, why?"

Immediately, Natsu turned extremely pale, and his cheeks puffed out in chipmunk-like fashion. He curled into a ball on the floor and moaned as he held his stomach.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked, glancing at him with the faintest trances of concern dancing in her eyes.

"No." Natsu whimpered "I get motion sick really easily."

"Try closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. It'll help."

Natsu, too sick to argue, obeyed and closed his eyes. As he took in deep breaths of cool air, he felt his stomach starting to settle slightly. "Hey, this actually kinda works."

"Don't act so surprised." the girl snorted, smirking. 

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"Do you want to get sick again?"

"...No."

"Then keep them shut. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

"Says the girl in the cage-"

"To the boy who's in the cage with her."

Natsu chuckled, "Touché. I'm Natsu, Natsu Dragneel."

"Hana."

"No last name?"

"My dragon didn't think it was important."

"Do you know where we're headed?"

"Hey! Stop jabbering up there! You're given me a headache!" Yang snapped as he trudged wearily beside his brother behind the wagon, pinching the bridge of his nose to reduce the throbbing in his head.

"Go back to the crevice in the ground that you crawled out of, Yang!" Hana barked back just as fiercely, baring her teeth in an animal-like manner.

Yang glared at her darkly, "Don't make me come over there, you little-"

"Yang!" Yin whined, elbowing his brother. "We can't bruise the merchandise otherwise Master won't give us our share of the reward!"

Yang irritably grumbled something offensive under his breath, but he shoved his hands into his pockets and continue walking beside his brother.

"Merchandise?" Natsu mused thoughtfully, "Wait, do they mean us?!"

"Wow, you're really dense, aren't you?"

"I'm not dense!" Natsu grumbled, trying to sit up before collapsing back onto the floor, holding his stomach as it churned uneasily. 

"Don't push yourself, Flameboy." Hana snickered before turning to watch the scenery as they drove by. "We've still got a long ways to go, and if you throw up on me, I will crush every bone in your body."

"Thanks for your concern." Natsu grumbled. Suddenly his eyes bulged. "Oh crap! Happy!"

Hana stared at him, "Huh?"

"I left Happy back in that clearing! I have to go get him!" the pink-haired boy cried as he jumped to his feet and grabbed onto the bars of the cage, yanking on them with all his might. They didn't budge.

"Natsu, stop it! Are you an idiot?!" Hana exclaimed.

"I have to get to Happy!" Natsu retorted as his sharp eyes scanned the box for an escape route. They landed on the open ceiling, and his lips twisted into a deep, calculating frown. "I've jumped higher walls before, but I can't leave Hana here." He thought, smirking to himself. "Guess I'll just have to fight again, but this time I'll have the element of surprise on my side. These bastards will never see it coming." Crouching down low, he tightened his leg muscles, preparing to launch himself into the air.

"Natsu! Don't!" Hana shrieked, her eyes wide with horror.

But it was already too late. The Fire Dragon Slayer soared into the air, a determined light glittering in his eyes as he rocketed toward the open sky. Suddenly, the bars of the cage bended inward, closing the opening, and Natsu collided with them with a painful thud before dropping back onto the floor.

"Ow! What the heck was that?!" he exclaimed, clutching his throbbing head in one hand.

"That was Solomon. He's a Trapper Mage." Hana replied as she crawled over to Natsu. "Here, let me see it."

"What? No! Why do you need to check it? You'll just make it worse."

"Natsu, stop being immature and let me see!"

"No!" Natsu chirped, backing up against the bars of the cage.

Hana's pupils narrowed as she bit her lip, a low, menacing growl echoing from the depths of her throat. "Natsu Dragneel, Son of Igneel, you will come to me right now and let me examine your wound or else!" She hissed, her voice dropping an octave as a powerful aura radiated all around her.

Natsu's heart immediately stopped as his entire body froze in fear. Something about the way she spoke stirred the dragon instincts inside of him, urging him to obey. As if in a trance, he laid down on the ground, setting his head on Hana's lap, setting his hands on his stomach so she could examine the large bruise forming on his forehead.

"Good boy. You already have only a few brain cells as it is. We don't need you losing any more." Hana purred, smiling. She gently began fingercombing Natsu's wild, salmon-colored hair back so she could see better. Meanwhile, the Fire Dragon Slayer was silent, too shocked to speak.

"H-h-how did you do that?" he finally whispered.

"I don't know what you mean, Son of Igneel." Hana smirked.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Natsu shouted, wincing as another pang of pain attacked his skull. "And how did you know that I was the Son of Igneel?"

"Igneel was the Dragon of Fire, was he not? I just had to connect the dots."

"You knew the other dragons?"

"I knew about the other dragons. I never got to meet them myself." Hana said as she began to gently press down on different parts of Natsu's bruise. "As for your other question, you listened to me because I am the stronger dragon."

"Excuse me?!" Natsu's snapped angrily, clenching his jaw. "I wouldn't go around making assumptions like that if I were you! Might I remind you that you were captured first?"

"I'm not making assumptions, Son of Igneel. I am stating fact. Obviously, Igneel didn't teach you about the rankings."

"Rankings?"

"Yes. When it came to rankings, Igneel was the second greatest dragon of all, and my dragon, Terran, the Dragon of Earth, was the greatest. With that title, she gained a sort of respect and authority that caused the other dragons to obey her. Though the two were great friends, our dragons often fought over the rankings, but Terran always came out on top. Now that I think about it, I bet the reason Igneel didn't tell you was because he was being a sore loser, and from what I can tell, the apple didn't fall far from the tree." She chuckled at the last part.

"What is that supposed to mean?! Natsu's fumed. "How did you go from talking about dragons to apples?! The two have nothing in common!"

"Wow, you're really dense." Hana sighed. Just then, her finger touched a spot on the bruise that caused Natsu to hiss and pull away.

"Ow! What did you do that for?!" 

"I see. Your wound isn't serious, but it is still quite tender." Hana mused as she began searching through her skirt's pockets. "Now where did I put those?-Ah, here they are!" She said, pulling out two kinds of herbs that Natsu had never seen before. Separating the different leaves into two piles, she picked up one pile and put it in her mouth, chewing them up and then spitting them into her hand. She repeated the same process with the other pile of leaves before proceeding to mix together the two pastes with her finger. Once the mixture had achieved a color somewhere between grass and puke green, she scooped a small amount onto her finger. "Hold still."

"Aw, heck no! You are not wiping your spit on me!" Natsu shrieked as he tried to sit up.

"Do you want to feel better or not?!"

"If that the way, then not!"

"Ugh, you are so immature! You're making me waste perfect good herbs that were hard to get ahold of!"

"Sorry not sorry!" 

"Natsu, don't make me use the voice again!" Hana snapped darkly, glaring daggers at him.

After a moment's hesitation, Natsu returned to laying on the ground with a sigh of defeat. He whimpered as Hana began to apply the paste to his bruise, gagging at its awful odor. "It smells like something that crawled through fresh fertilizer and then died."

"Oh, suck it up."

As he laid on the ground with the paste on forehead, Natsu could sense the throbbing pain growing fainter and fainter till he could barely feel it.

"Better?" Hana asked.

"Yay, thanks. How did you learn to do that?"

"The same way I learned to do everything else: Terran taught me."

"So she had time to teach you all this cool stuff but not enough time to give you a last name?"

"Neither of us saw it as a necessity. It was supposed to just be us, together and free in the wild." Hana said, her face falling and eyes beginning to water. "But then she disappeared and left me..."

Natsu didn't know what to say. Truthfully, there wasn't anything he could say. He remembered how he felt when Igneel, along with all the other dragons, vanished without a trace. He hadn't wanted people's sympathies; he had wanted to be left alone. Judging by Hana's expression, that was exactly how she felt at the moment.

"Hey." she suddenly spoke, smiling sadly. "We're still moving, and you're not motion sick."

As soon as she said those words, Natsu's stomach flipped, and his vision grew dizzy. "Thanks for reminding me." He moaned as he held his stomach.

"You should get some rest. It'll help you heal faster. I'll wake you if anything happens." Hana said softly as she brushed away a few stray tears. 

"You promise?" 

"I promise."

"Thank you, Hana. You're not half bad." Natsu mumbled as he turned into his side and closed his eyes.

"Right back at you, Flameboy."

\-----------------------

"Natsu! Natsu! Wake up!"

As Hana shook him roughly, Natsu began to stir, mumbling softly.

"Five more minutes, Igneel!"

"Natsu, wake up!"

"Huh, Hana? What's going on?!"

"We're here."

Natsu opened his eyes and stared at the starry night sky above him. Sitting up slowly while wiping away the paste on his forehead, Natsu's eyes scanned the landscape, observing his surroundings. They were still in a forest, but the trees were different.

"What are those?"

"Cypress trees."

"I thought those only grew in one part of Fiore."

"They do. This is it, the city of Olympia."

"Wait, there are guilds here, aren't there?! Maybe they'll help us get home!"

"They won't help us, Natsu. There's only one guild here, and it's a dark guild."

"Oh. Then maybe we should avoid them..."

"We can't. We're headed their right now."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because they're the ones who paid the Dragon Hunters to find me."

"Boss! Dead ahead!" Yin suddenly cried.

Everyone looked up and saw a mob of women dressed in various types of armor standing in their path, some of them clutching torches while the others held knifes and other weapons. The cart slowed to a stop, and Solomon climbed down and walked up to the woman who was leading the group. She had beautiful tan skin that seemed to glow in the torchlight, and long, chocolate brown hair that brushed against the middle of her back. Her face would have been pretty too if she hadn't been scowling at the newcomers.

"What's going on here?" Wolfgang asked.

"Men are not allowed on our guild's sacred grounds. You would taint it. We will take our prize from here." The woman said coldly.

"That's mean!" Yin whined. "And what about our money?!"

The woman beckoned a few of the other girls forward, each one carrying two large sacks which they dropped at the Reaping Crew's feet. A few gold coins fell out of one bag and onto the dirt floor. Yin's eyes widened in delight, and he immediately began to reach for a bag-

"Is that it?" Solomon asked coldly, his eyes narrowing.

The woman frowned. "Pardon?"

Solomon stepped forward and picked up the coin. Placing it between his fingers, he easily snapped it in half. "These are fake. Where's the real money?"

"There is none." the girl said, a somewhat sadistic smile spreading across her face.

"Witch." Solomon hissed, his muscles tensing.

"That's not nice."

"Wolfgang! Yin! Yang! Sensus! Take them down!" Solomon cried as he charged the mob's leader. The girl just chuckled before grabbing a white stone key with a skull carved on it off of her belt and holding it out. "Gate of the Underworld's King, I open thee! Hades!"

There was an explosion of dark smoke, and a young man appeared beside the girl. His wore all black clothing, and his long black bangs prevented anyone from seeing his eyes.

"You know what to do." the girl chirped.

The chains on the boy's leather jacket rattled as he raised up a single hand before whispering in a strained voice, "Spirit Magic: Soul Suck!"

Immediately, a wave of black light washed over the Dragon Hunters, and all five members of the Reaping Crew collapsed to the ground, writhing in the dirt and screaming in agony. Wisps of white smoke shot out of their mouths and raced through the air towards Hades before disappearing into one of the many pockets of his jacket.

"B-b-b-boss m-m-my m-magic..." Yin whimpered. "I-I-I c-c-can't m-m-move."

"Filthy wench!" Solomon cursed, glaring up at the woman.

"Good work, Hades!" she praised. "You can go back now. We'll handle the rest."

"Yes, Mistress." Hades murmured hollowly before dissipating into black smoke once again.

"You five," the woman stated, pointing to five of the other girls, "come with me. The rest of you, dispose of those filthy pigs and then return to the camp."

The mob immediately obeyed. Scooping up the now unconscious Dragon Hunter, they carried them off into the cover of the forest while the selected six circled to the back of the wagon. The leader smiled coldly at Hana, her eyes glinting with an unsettling light.

"Natsu, do you still want to find your friend?" Hana whispered softly.

"Huh? Why do you ask? That hardly seems important right now!" Natsu whispered in reply.

"Alright, let me rephrase that: do you want to live long enough to see your friend again?" Hana snapped.

Natsu gulped, "Well, yeah."

"Then on my signal, you're going to release your biggest Roar yet, understand?"

"But won't you get burned?"

"Understand?!"

"Yes ma'am," Natsu mumbled.

One of the mages leaped over the side of the wagon and reached for the lock.

"Wait for it." Hana cautioned.

The girl began fiddling with the lock, but when she couldn't get it open, one of her guildmates elbowed her aside and began pulling on the lock.

"Wait for it."

The lock made a loud snap as it tore in half, the pieces flying in opposite directions.

"NOW!!!"

Natsu took in a deep breath and exhaled, a column of fire shooting from his lips and engulfing everything in hungry flames.

 

(Happy: WHAT. THE. HECK?!?! I HATE YOU, ADMIN-SAN! I HATE YOU! YOU MADE NATSU LEAVE ME BEHIND!!!!! *begins hitting Admin on the leg*

Admin: Alright, that's it! I've had enough of you already. *grabs key* Gate of the Magic Goddess, I open thee! Hecate!

Hecate: *appears in a puff of purple smoke. Grins at Happy and raises her hands as they begun to glow* Beluga sevruga come winds of the Caspian Sea! Larengix glaucitis et max laryngitis la voce to me! [Bonus Points for whoever figures out what movie this is from!]

Happy: *tries to talk but doesn't make a sound. Silently screams before fainting*

Admin: Ugh, finally, peace and quiet. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I apologize for Happy's constant prattling. However, I don't we are going to be receiving any more interruptions.

Hecate: Don't tempt Fate and jinx it. *winks*)


	5. Chapter 5

"Hana? Hana!"

After discovering that the mysterious female had vanished from his side, Natsu leaped from the wagon and proceeded to run through the fiery clearing, calling out her name.

"Hana! Hana, where are you?!"

Suddenly, a light breeze brushed against the skin of his left arm, footsteps echoing in his ear. The Dragon Slayer turned, a sense of relief settling in his stomach, but the girl running up to him wasn't Hana. It was one of the dark guild's mages, clutching her twin daggers so tightly as she charged that her knuckles were white. Her jaw was locked in an ugly snarl, a bottomless hate dancing in her beautiful emerald eyes as she swung her blade, barely missing Natsu's cheek as he stumbled back. Quickly regaining her balance, she lashed out again, this time aiming for Natsu's arm. The blades nicked his forearm, their tips painted by droplets of crimson blood as they sailed through the air. However, at the same time, Natsu swung his other arm, nailing the girl in the jaw. Taking advantage of her shock, he kneed her in the stomach, carbon dioxide and a few traces of her lunch spilling from her lips, and swept her legs out from underneath her. The girl's head hit the forest floor with a sickening smack, her eyes rolling back in her head as she passed out. Natsu wiped his arm on his pants to get rid of the blood before returning to his original mission.

"Hana! Hana! Answer me!"

\--------------------------------

As soon she saw the flames leave Natsu's mouth, Hana sprang from the cart and ran into the woods, her heartbeat echoing in her ears as she panted heavily. She had to isolate HER from the rest of the group; it was the only way for her to have even the slimmest chance of defeating her. It was a risky gambled, for her opponent could whip out her dark champion of death at any moment. But it was a risk Hana had to take; Natsu and the entourage couldn't get in the way.

There was the soft swish of something light and small racing through the still night air, and Hana's entire right leg went numb. Stumbling, she collapsed to the forest floor, hitting her arms on a few tree roots that protruded from the soft earth. A chilling laugh echoed from behind her.

"You're as graceful as ever, Hana."

Clenching her fists, Hana opened her mouth and sank her teeth into the dark dirt beneath her, resisting the urge to gag at its bitter taste.

"Hana, I understand that you're a Earth Dragon Slayer, and you need to eat your element in order to gain strength. But that's still disgusting, so stop." The other woman ordered and delivered a strong kick to the girl's stomach. Hana gasped and began coughing as she choked on a lump of dirt she had been swallowing.

"Aw! What's the matter? Did I upset your tummy?" The girl lisped mockingly, "Do you want me to rub your back till it feels better?" Sneering, she brought her leg down hard on Hana's back, the other girl crying out in pain. "Get up, O' Great One! Show me what your precious dragon taught you."

Hana trembled as she crawled up onto all fours, tears dripping down her cheeks. Her right leg was still numb from the dart her opponent had shot her with, so she would have to fight while hopping around on one leg. No problem-except for the fact that she was a complete klutz. She needed a plan, and she needed it fast.

"I'm waiting." Her opponent huffed, tapping her foot impatiently. "What's the matter? Are you scared?"

"No, I was thinking." Hana mumbled as she shakily rose up onto one leg, leaning against a nearby tree for support. Lies. She had been frantically grasping at straws, hoping on of them offered her even the smallest chance of survival. She forced a confident smile onto her face. "I'm not all brawn, you know. Plant Magic: Briar Tower!"

The ground shook beneath their feet as large clusters of briars shot forth from the dirt, the force of their abrupt emergence throwing her off balance as their sharp thorns raked at the girl's unprotected arms and legs and ripped her loose-fitting garments.

"Gate of the Underworld's King, I open thee! Hades!" she screamed as the briars continued to assault her. However, unlike before, the young man did not appear; the only smoke they saw was because of Natsu's forest fire steadily creeping closer and closer toward them. "Gate of the Underworld's King, I open thee! Hades!" she shrieked again, squirming against the vines' firm grasp. "Hades, get out here right this minute before I beat you!"

"Uh, don't you kinda need your keys for to summon your spirits?" Hana smirked, pointing at the top of the brambles. The girl's gaze followed, and she gasped, her hands curling into fists when as she stared at her keyring dangling from the to branch, her variety of keys glittering in the moonlight.

"So you want to fight dirty, brat? Fine. We'll fight dirty." She hissed angrily as her body began to glow with an eerie magenta light. "Acid Sprinker!"

Out of nowhere, dozens of little orbs of foul-smelling, magenta liquid materialized in mid air, shooting at the briars, Hana, and everything within a five foot radius. Upon impact with the briars, the acid began to hiss and bubble as it ate away at the stalks, severing them. The tower plummeted with a loud crash, and Hana's opponent clawed herself free, snatching her keys off of the branches. Meanwhile, Hana darted out of the way as a large splash of acid rocketed towards her, a smoking crater forming where she had previously stood. Landing on her decommissioned leg, she collapsed onto her butt with a painful thump.

"Acid Shower!"

Flinging her arms above her in an futile attempt to protect herself, Hana howled in agony as pellets of concentrated acid rained down on her, burning her skin. 

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!" she exclaimed in response, a torrent of dirt dirt shooting from her lips. Her opponent vaulted backward as the ground before her exploded into pieces.

"Acid Mist!"

As the burning magenta cloud descended upon her, Hana clamped her eyes and mouth shut and halted her breathing. At least, inhaling the acid particles would obliterate all her chances of defeating her opponent. At most, it would kill her. The cloud wasn't going to make things easy for her though. The gas stung her bare skin like a hoard of angry wasps. Biting back her choked sobs, Hana forced herself to crawl, feeling along the ground for guidance or for roots with which to pull herself forward as her body grew heavier and heavier due to her lack of oxygen. However, the cloud was merciless, tailing right behind her and wrapping its tendrils around her as she struggled to move, her lungs yearning for air. She needed a plan B because the chances of her outrunning the cloud were waning fast. Sluggishly, she raised her arms, preparing to recite another spell and dispel the mist, but her body refused to endure any longer. It wrenched itself free from the dictatorial grip of her mind and forced her mouth open, the toxic air rushing into her lungs. Her insides burned like they were on fire, her body curling into a fetal position as she wrecked, the contents of her stomach spraying onto the forest floor and tears streaking down her cheeks. Her opponent was too powerful.

"Just as I thought: you're still weak." The other girl smirked as the acidic gas dissipated with a snap of her fingers. She sneered down at Hana's crippled form, flipping her perfect black hair over her shoulder. "Did you really think you could survive without us, your sisterhood?" She gracefully knelt down in front of the other mage, the moon bathing her in a brilliant, angelic light, like a guardian sent to deliver the poor unfortunate soul before her. She held out her hand. "It's time for this silly quest to end. Come home, Hana. Come home to your sisters."

Everything immediately all noise ceased, and everything became eerily still. It seemed that like entire world around them was trying to listen, suspense filling the air. Suddenly, Hana whipped around and slashed at her opponent's face, etching three long scars into the girl's perfect skin. A murderous rage burned in her eyes as she angrily spat, "You are not my sisters! You are not my family or my home! I shall never change my mind, so leave me be!"

The other Mage growled, her delicate hands shifting into trembling fists, blood oozing from the gashes on her cheek. "Why you little brat! Fine! This will be your last mistake! Acid Wave!"

Geysers of purple liquid shot forth from oblivion, swirling together to create a giant, corrosive tidal wave that came roaring toward Hana. Unable to move or scream for help, Hana laid her head down onto the cool dirt as a soothing breeze swept over her. Time slowed as her eyes began to close and she accepted the truth: this was it for her. She was going to die.

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!"

Or maybe not.

Columns of fire engulfed the acid wall, consuming it until there wasn't a drop left. The force of the attack sent the other girl flying backwards, her body smacking against the ground with a sickening slap. Hana raised her head to see Natsu's towering above her, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

"Natsu..."

"Is it true, Hana? Are you one of them?"

Hana heard Natsu's voice waver, and she noticed a tear drop to the ground at his feet.

"Natsu, don't be stupid. Of course I'm not one of them!"

"Liar!"

"Natsu, I swear!"

"You're lying!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Then why did she call you her sister?!"

Hana's eyes fell and she hung her head, "After Terran left, I was vulnerable. I made some bad choices. Joining that dark guild was the worst. I'm not that person any longer, though. I left them and started working for the greater good."

"You swear?"

"I swear on my life."

Natsu was silent for a moment. "Alright, I believe you."

Hana sighed in relief.

"Um, excuse me, I hate to ruin this heartfelt moment, but you're in my way, Flame Hazard."

Natsu's eyes snapped over to the dark guild's Mage, who had struggled back to her feet. Clenched in her hand was one of her keys.

"Who you calling a flame hazard?!" Natsu snapped.

"The name's Ursa, Ursa Blackrose. And right now, you're sticking your nose into a feud that is none of your concern and business, little dragon. Now run along home and tell no one what you have learned, and I'll disobey my guild's kill-all-males-on-sight protocol just this once."

"Kill on sight?! What kind of guild are you?! That's cruel even for a dark guild!"

"We, you slow-minded mule, are Amazon Armor, named after the glorious warrior women of myth and legend whose legacy we dedicate our lives to pursuing. And you are currently withholding from us something that it rightful ours, so move aside!"

"Hana is not a something! She's a someone, and I'm not letting you touch her one more time!"

"You think you can stop me, little dragon? I just defeated the apprentice of Terran, the greatest dragon of them all, and YOU think you have a chance against me? Are you dumb?"

"I'm not dumb; I'm stubborn. There's a difference. " Natsu growled, his cheeks puffing out as he prepared to attack again, "Roar of the Fire Dragon!"

"So be it." Ursa sneered, holding out a key. "Gate of the Wind God, I open thee! Aeolus!"

Another man appeared, this one looking to be in his 30s, clothed in loose billowy robes of gray, blue, and white, his long, silver hair whipping back and forth as if disturbed by an imaginary breeze. Regarding his physique and stature, he wasn't very intimidating, barely reaching a height above 5' 6" and sickly-looking with ghostly white skin hugging stringy muscles. However, one glance at this dude's eyes told an entirely different story, sending a chill down Natsu's and Hana's spines. Irises barely distinguishable from the scleras, he stared back at them with pure white eyes, his pupils resembling a pair of bullet holes in two giant, luminous pearls. When his chapped lips parted, a voice barely above a whisper tickled Natsu's ear drum.

"What is your wish, Mistress Ursa?"

Ursa glared at Natsu and pointed an accusing finger at him, "Extinguish that flame and bring me the disgrace to the Amazon name."

"It shall be done," Aeolus murmured, turning to Natsu and Hana. For a moment, his gaze softened, as if he felt sorry for them. Faintly, he mouthed the words 'I am sorry' as fierce, high-speed winds began to race around them, flinging any loose leaves, dirt, or twigs high into the air.

"Your wind dude doesn't scare me. I've beat other wind mages before." Natsu said, shielded his eyes from the debris with his hand.

"Fool, Aeolus isn't just some wind mage. He is the superior wind god, the Master of Winds!

"Master of Winds..." Natsu murmured as if deep in thought. Immediately, he fell to the ground, laughter echoing throughout the clearing.

Ursa's cheeks burned bright red. "Not like that, you fool! Ugh, men have such a vile sense of humor!" She glared at her spirit. "Finish him already!"

"Yes, Miss." Aeolus bowed before shifting into a fighting stance. "Magic Wind Palm!"

Natsu grinned from ear to ear; he already knew this attack thanks to his fight with Erigor over the Lullaby. "Roar of the Fire Dragon!" He bellowed as the wind god sent the column of wind rocketing toward him. However, much to his surprise, the wind ripped through his fire with ease and nailed him square in the chest, propelling him several yards and creating a small crater. Okay, so maybe this guy was a tad stronger than Erigor. Groaning, Natsu struggled to crawl to his feet only to collapse again, clutching his chest as a sharp pain shot from his collarbone. Yep, that was probably broken.

Ursa sneered. "Aw, am I playing to rough for you, little dragon?"

Natsu didn't answer.

"Hades, have mercy on their souls." Aeolus whispered softly as he closed his eyes, unable to watch what he was about to do. He raised his hands again cloud infested the clear night sky around him and called out in a surprisingly loud voice. "Ancient Wind Arts: Forbidden Gusts." he began to chant.

The winds around them whipped around even faster, creating a mini cyclone that engulfed everything within a fifteen yard radius.

"Hana, I'm sorry." Natsu choked out.

"It's okay." Hana whispered back, blinking away the tears at the corner of her eyes. "From dust I was created and to dust I shall return. That is the cycle of life." She laid her head back a took a deep breath. "If it is my time to die, then I welcome it."

"Northern Winds: Subzero!" Aeolus finished, and a blast of wind shot from the center of the whirling column of air. As it raced towards Hana and Natsu, everything in its path froze before shattering into a million glittering pieces. Natsu and Hana shared one last glance before they both closed their eyes and surrendered.

"Gate of the Blacksmith, I open thee! Hephaestus!" a new voice cried out.

"Fire Wall: Level Magma!" screeched another.

"Rainbow Requip: Magenta Bazooka!"

A wave of sweltering heat washed over Hana and Natsu as a large explosion caused the ground to rumble. The two opened their eyes to see a trio of mages, two girls and one boy, standing between them and Ursa. Off to the side, Aeolus was sprawled across the ground, knocked out cold. His body was already beginning to disintegrate into golden sparkles, and as he returned to the Celestial Spirit World, the cyclone ceased, the debris dropping returning to the forest floor. Natsu noticed the smaller of the two girls was carrying a large, cylindrical object on her right shoulder, a somewhat crazed smile dancing on her lips.

Ursa snarled. "Aeolus, get back out here right now!"

The wind god didn't appear.

"Aeolus?" Ursa whimpered.

"He isn't coming, Ursa Blackrose, and you don't have enough magical power to force him back out." The other girl stated coldly. She was about as tall as Erza, with long, shimmery blonde hair that reached her thighs and soft eyes, her irises resembling seas of milk chocolate. Clothed in pure white garments, she seemed to glow like an angel, and her necklace of keys twinkled in the moonlight, jiggling like sleigh bells as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. She looked at the boy in front of her. "Hephaestus, I trust your judgement."

"Thank you, Sierra. I promise not to disappoint you." Hephaestus replied, the giant metal brace on his leg creaking as he kneeled before her. He glared at Ursa with his glowing hazel eyes and held out his hand. "Volcano Magjc: Lava Spring Quartet!"

The earth rumbled again and four towers of magma erupted out of the ground, hissing as it came into contact with the cool air. As the streams reached a height of about twelve feet, they arched towards each other to form one large torrent lava that was headed straight for Ursa! The girl screamed, holding her arms above her head in an attempt to protect herself. Yeah, like that was going to work.

"Aeolus, save me!" she blubbered.

No one came.

"Aeolus, please!"

Nothing.

Ursa clenched her teeth. "Hades! Aeolus! Somebody!"

The lava was only a foot away from her head.

"Hades! Save me right now or I'll break Persephone's key!"

Suddenly, a large fissure appeared in the ground, and a pale hand grabbed hold of Ursa's right leg. She screamed as she was yanked into earth and the gap closed after her, the lava splashing to the ground only moments after. 

Hephaestus stomped his foot angrily. "She got away!"

"It's alright, my friend. The important thing is that Hana is safe." the blonde cooed, placing a comforting hand on the god's shoulder. "You performed excellently, as always."

Hephaestus blushed. "Thank you, Master. I am not worthy of your praise."

"Don't belittle yourself! You are far stronger than you know. Now return home and rest." the woman smiled and touched one of the keys on her chain. "Close, Gate of the Blacksmith."

"Hana!" the other girl cried as she ran toward the Earth Dragon Slayer, her large weapon nowhere to be seen. However, she failed to notice Natsu in her path, tripping and landing on top of him with a solid thump. The salmon-haired boy hissed in pained. Great, now his chest and his back hurt.

"Kiyo! Be careful!" Hana chastised her as the group flocked around Natsu.

"Right, sorry." Kilo blushed as she crawled off of the poor mage. She paused, however, when she saw his face. "Wait a minute, you're him! You're Natsu Dragneel from Fairy Tail!"

"Shh, Kiyo! Keep your voice down!" This time it was the blonde who snapped at the excited teen. She gently turned Natsu over onto his back, looming over him as her eyes searched his face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I just like laying on the ground and groaning. It's a hobby of mine." Natsu said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

The blonde smirked.

"Sierra, he needs a doctor." Hana stated, flashing Natsu a worried look. "Can you call Apollo?

"Yes, but not here. It isn't safe. Can you walk, Mr. Dragneel?"

"Yeah, I think so." Natsu muttered, standing.

"Good. Gate of the God of Gateways, I open thee! Janus!"

A boy or above seventeen appeared, one hand in his pocket and the other running through this spiky ombré hair. "Where to, boss?"

The blonde looked at Natsu.

"Magnolia."

"You need to be more specific."

"Fairy Tail."

"That I can work with." Janus stated. He pulled a plain, faded doorknob out of his pocket and held it out. "Magnolia! Fairy Tail!"

In the blink of an eye, a doorway appeared in midair, a warm, familiar scent seeping from the wood. When Janus turned the knob, the door swung open, and Natsu and the group trudged through as the sounds of clinking mugs and giddy laughter greeted their ears.  
\--------------

((Natsu: *storms into the room* Admin-san, what did you do to Happy?!

Admin: Oh, I didn't do anything.

Natsu: You're lying.

Admin: No I'm not. *bats eyelashes innocently*

Happy: *runs in* Natsu, I'm cured!

Admin: What?! How?!

Happy: I'll never tell! *winks*

Admin: Ugh, how am I supposed to write around you people?

Natsu: Wait, you write?

Admin: *facepalms* Yes, Natsu. I've only told you that about a hundred and one times."

Natsu: Then why don't I remember?

Happy: Because your brain is made of ashes?

Natsu: What did you just say?! *fists burst into flames* You wanna go, furball?! Get over here! *chases Happy*

Admin: Natsu, don't you dare burn the guild hall down again!))


	6. Chapter 6

A weary chorus of groans echoed from the front of the Fairy Tail guild hall as four hunched figures trudged through the doors and draped their weary bodies over the bar counter.

"You didn't find him, did you?" Mirajane asked.

"Not a trace. Honestly, that guy makes such a mess wherever he goes that you would expect him to be easy to track." Lucy whined, resting her cheek against the bar's cool surface. "Ugh, my legs are so sore..."

"How are your legs sore?! You had Horologium carry you the entire time!" Gray spat at her.

"It was cramped in there! I swear he has shrunk!"

"Are you sure that he shrunk, and you didn't grow? Capricorn did say that your diet needed to change."

An inhuman growl escaped Lucy's throat, her eyes narrowing at the ice mage and her muscles tensing. With her mind too exhausted to keep her in check, there was nothing to hold Lucy back. She lunged for the shirtless wizard and tackled him to the floor.

"What did you just say?! Say it again; I dare you!" she bellowed as Gray squirmed beneath her, his face turning an alarming shade of purple.

"Lucy, get off me!" he exclaimed, struggling to pry the blonde's hands off of his throat.

"Gray-sama, I'll save you!" Juvia cried as she charged Lucy, knocking her "romantic rival" off of her crush.

"Ow! Juvia, stay out of this!"

"No! I won't let you hurt my Gray-sama!"

"ALL THREE OF YOU SHUT UP!!!! I HAVE A HEADACHE, AND YOUR SHOUTING IS MAKING IT WORSE!!!!"

"Yes Erza...." Lucy whimpered.

"Is she really one to be lecturing us about shouting-"

"GRAY, I ADVISE THAT YOU DON'T FINISH THAT SENTENCE!!!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Gray yelped, diving behind a shocked Juvia for protection.

Erza pinched the bridge of her nose as her head throbbed painfully. Even though it was almost he middle of the night, the guild was hopping as usual, and every little noise stabbed at her brain like a knife.

"You look like you could use a drink." a deep voice echoed from behind her.

"I don't need a drink; I need sleep." Erza glanced over her shoulder at Laxus as he pulled out a stool and sat beside her. "Did you and the Raijinshu find anything?"

"Not a trace." Laxus replied as Mirajane set a mug of ale in front of him. He immediately down a large gulp and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Honestly, the only place we haven't checked by now is the edge of the world! Where the heck did that little bastard go?"

"The edge of the world..." Mirajane repeated softly to herself. She gasped suddenly as something in her mind clicked. "The edge of the world! Crap!"

"Mirajane, what's wrong?" Erza asked.

"If I'm right, then Natsu's in grave danger!" Mirajane exclaimed. "At the edges of our world, the kingdom of Fiore, are multiple different towns. Natsu was heading east, and on Fiore's eastern border is a town called Olympia. Olympia has a dark guild of female mages who hunt down male wizards for sport!"

"So you're saying that these mages might have done something to Natsu?!" Erza exclaimed, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

"Aye! I know it's a far fetched idea, but it makes sense." Mirajane stated.

"Then what are we waiting for?! We need to go save Natsu!" Happy exclaimed as he leaped off the counter.

Groans rose from Lucy and Gray, who had collapsed onto a nearby table.

"Can't we just go in the morning?" Lucy mumbled. "I'm exhausted..."

"You can sleep later! We have to go right now or risk losing my best friend for forever!" Happy replied. "Now get off your lazy butts and move! Do you expect Natsu and his captors to just fall into our laps?"

Suddenly, a blinding light swept over the guild, outlining four silhouettes at the front of the hall. One of them wavered slightly and dropped limply to the floor like a ragdoll.

"NATSU!!!!" Happy cried when the light faded and he noticed his friend on the floor. He looked up at the three girls who had also appeared. "You hurt Natsu!"

"What?!" Kiyo blurted. "No, you don't understand, we-"

"It's Olympia's dark guild, and they have Natsu!" Erza exclaimed, bolting up from her seat and grabbing her sword.

"Wait, we're not-"

"Fairy Tail, raise up your arms and retrieve our brother!" Erza's roared as Natsu's friends all came barreling down on the three confused visitors.

"Split!" Sierra shouted, shoving Hana and Kiyo in opposite directions before vaulting overtop of the crowd. She grabbed one of her keys. "Gate of the Blacksmith, I open thee! Hephaestus!"

In a puff of black smoke, the god appeared, the floorboards of the guild blackening beneath his feet and the scent of sulfur wafting off of him. 

"Protect Natsu!" Sierra shouted overtop of the noise.

The god nodded in understand and held up his hands. "Fire Wall: Level Ember!"

Flames shot up from the floor in the shape of a circle and grew to a size of about ten feet, licking hungrily at the air around it. Level Ember's flames were not nearly as hot as Level Magma's, but it was still hot enough to keep the angry mob of mages out.

"Fire. Need fire." Natsu whimpered, inching closer to the wall and inhaling some of the flames.

"You baka, don't eat our defenses!" Hephaestus snapped at him.

Natsu rolled his eyes and continued to inhale pieces of the flame wall once the god had turned his back to him.

Meanwhile on the outside of the ring of fire, the other mages skidded to a halt before the wall of flames.

"Erza! We can't get through!" Elfman yelled.

"What are you talking about?! Of course we can! Just watch!" Gray exclaimed. "Ice-Make Battering Ram!"

A humongous log of ice appeared out of thin air, but the end by the flames immediately melted into a large puddle. Astonishment was written across Gray's face as Juvia patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"It's alright, Gray-sama. You did your best." she said sweetly.

"I've got this; everyone stand back!" Romeo stated confidently as he walked towards the flames.

"No, Romeo!" Macao yelped as he grabbed his son by the back of his shirt. "Hephaestus is the God of Fire. I'm certain even fire mages aren't safe around his flames."

"Erza, what do we do?!" Elfman called.

Lucy glanced over her shoulder at Sierra, her eyes fixed on the girl's necklace of keys.

"Focus your attacks on the Celestial Wizard! If we defeat her, then Hephaestus will be forced to return to the Celestial Spirit World." she shouted, pointing at the other girl. Her heart twanged painfully as she spoke; she was betraying one of her own. No, just because this girl was a Celestial Wizard didn't mean she was Lucy's friend. Natsu was her friend, and this girl was threatening his wellbeing, making her the enemy, Celestial Wizard or not.

As all gazes turned to her, Sierra grasped another one of her keys between her fingers. "Gate of Wisdom, I open thee! Athena!"

This time, an armored woman with light blonde hair appeared, her dark, calculating eyes sweeping over the mob. Raising her sword in the air, she shouted as her body began to glow, "Requip: Achilles Armor!" When the glow faded, Athena was clothed in a loose mix of dark brown leather and bronze, armed with only a large, double-edged bronze sword.

"She has Erza's magic; I call dibs!" Gray said, grinning. "Ice-Make Arrows!"

As a dozen or so ice arrows sailed toward her, their tips sparkling menacingly in the artificial light of the guild, Athena slashed at the air with her sword in a single graceful arch, and the projectiles shattered into splinters. Before Gray had the chance to recover, she disposed of her sword and sped toward him, springing into the air above his head. Swiping her legs downward, the foot long spikes attached to the heels of her boots raked a pair of deep gashes into Gray's abdomen. Twisting her body so she landed on her outstretched hands, Athena spread her legs and twirled, her heels transforming into a deadly saw and adding several more slashes to Gray's chest. As her feet returned to the ground, Athena launched herself upward, her fists connecting with Gray's jaw in a double uppercut and ending the fight. Gray toppled over and sprawled out flat on the ground, moaning softly.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed. She glared at Athena hatefully. "Water-Slicer!" she screamed, launching sharp blades of liquid at the goddess. Athena glanced at Juvia's attack with an unamused expression. "Requip: Perseus Armor!" Now Athena was clothed in a slightly bulkier silver armor, a large scythe in one hand and a circular shield with the face of a gorgon on it in the other. A large helmet sat on her head with a sheet of metal covering her eyes like a blindfold.

"You bore me." she mumbled as she hefted her shield up higher. "Medusa Effect!" 

The eyes of the gorgon on the shield began to glow, her snakes hissing fiercely as they writhed around her face. Juvia gasped as her legs froze in place, and she looked down to find they had turned to stone.

"Not again!" she cried as the stone crept up her torso and arms till only her neck face face were left. In seconds, she was solid stone.

"Juvia!" Lisanna exclaimed in horror.

"You all bore me." Athena said and turned her shield to stare at the other members of the guild. The mages screamed in pain and shock as their bodies hardened, and soon only Lucy, Erza, Laxus, and the Raijinshu were left unfrozen.

"Boring." Athena complained.

"Let's see how bored you are when I bore through you with this!" Erza screeched, clothed in her Flight Armor. She came charging at the goddess, brandishing her sword in front of her.

Athena grinned wickedly as her shield met Erza's blade. "You...you do not bore me, Titania."

Meanwhile, after surveying the damage around her, Lucy glared hatefully at Sierra, her fists trembling. Snatching up her keyring, which had begun to glow, she screamed, "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Loke!"

"You called, gorgeous?" Loke purred flirtatiously as he materialized by her side.

"Yes! Destroy her!" Lucy pointed an accusing finger in Sierra's direction only to find the space was now empty. Her jaw went slack.

"Um, Lucy..." Loke trailed off.

"What the heck?! She was right there!" Lucy fumed angrily. "Where did she go?!"

"Lucy-"

"Loke, I swear, she was right there! I'm not crazy!"

"Lucy, you need to go to bed. It's late, and the lack of sleep is making you hallucinate. I'll return tomorrow when you're feeling better." Loke stated as he pushed his glasses back into place with his index finger. "Goodnight."

"Loke, don't you dare leave-" Lucy hissed, but the Celestial Spirit was already gone. She stomped her foot angrily and scanned the entire room again, searching for her target. "Come out, you-you coward!"

"Well, if you insist." Sierra smirked as she leaped from her hiding spot behind the bar and shot up into the air. She hastily pinned Lucy to the floor with her foot, ripping the girl's keys out of her hands.

"Athena! Hold these for me!" she called and tossed the keyring to the goddess, who gracefully caught it on the edge of her scythe's curved blade before returning her focus to Erza.

Lucy thrashed about beneath Sierra, desperately clawing at her bare calves, but the woman remained firm, her heel digging into her opponent's back. Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end as the air behind her began to pop and crackle. She turned to see Laxus sailing toward her, his fists sparkling with raw energy. Then, as he drew back and prepared to strike, Hana appeared out of nowhere and crashed into his side, knocking him off course and sending the two of them colliding into the hall's doors, which ripped off of their hinges from the force.

"Laxus!" the Raijinshu exclaimed in horror as they watched their leader tumble out of the guild and into the night, completely forgetting about Kiyo whom they had been fighting moments before.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" she whined, but Laxus's entourage was already out the door, racing after their leader.

Outside of the guild, the cool wind ripped through Hana's hair and light clothing, but she didn't shiver. Picking herself up off of the ground, she glared at the muscular blonde, her warm brown eyes shifting into icy slits.

"Laxus! We're coming!" Evergreen and Bickslow cried as they charged toward Hana. Freed, however, had vanished.

Hana glared back at them and held out her hands. "Plant Magic: Ivy Bondage!"

Long green vines shot forth from the earth and wound themselves around Evergreen, carrying her high into the air. They slivered up her body to her face and covered her eyes and mouth, preventing her from using speech or her petrification magic.

"Ever!" Bickslow shouted. "My babies, free our friend!"

"Free! Free! Free!" his dolls repeated as beams of energy shot from their mouths.

"I told you not to ignore me! Scarlet Shield!" Kiyo said as she leaped into the lasers' path and deflected them with the round, red shield. Grabbing the rim, she hurled it like a Frisbee at the dolls, knocking them out of the air.

"My babies!" Bickslow wailed. "You little brat!"

"I'll keep cosplaying clown busy! You take care of the ringleader!" Kiyo ordered Hana, glaring daggers at Laxus. "Make him suffer! Violet Bo Staff!"

The corners of Hana's mouth turned up slightly as she watched Kiyo face off with Bickslow, but she hastily turned back to Laxus, who hadn't moved.

"What's the matter, big boy? Scared to fight a girl?" she teased, sneering. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

Laxus clenched his jaw and charged. Hana swiftly dodged, delivering a strong kick to Laxus's chin as she cartwheeled out of his path. Snarling like a savage beast, Laxus whirled around and repeated his previous attack, and again Hana kicked him, this time in the face.

"Man, you are slow. Is it past your curfew or something? Does little Sparky need to go to bed? Do you want me to tuck you in?" Hana sang mockingly.

"Don't call me Sparky!" Laxus snapped irritably.

"Aw, did I make you mad? Your face is turning red." Hana purred.

"Roar of the Lightning Dragon!" Laxus bellowed as a tidal wave of electricity flew from his mouth and nailed Hana head on. A loud explosion rocked the earth beneath Laxus's feet, and when the dust settled, Hana was flat on her back in the middle of a smoking crater, her limbs spread out like a starfish. Yet just as Laxus relaxed, she began chuckling.

"Is that all you've got," she asked the shocked Laxus as she crawled to her feet. "because I'm not impressed. Roar of the Earth Dragon!"

Hana's roar was triple the size of Laxus's, flattening full grown trees as it propelling him backwards. Hitting the ground with a hard thud, he stared up at the starry night sky in a daze for a minute or two before rolling onto his knees. Hana had already scrambled out the freight and was standing to her full height, strands of her hair hanging in her face. Aside from a few small bruises and scratches, she was completely unharmed, her singed clothing the only evidence of Laxus's attack.

Laxus panted tiredly. He was already exhausted from the long day he had had, and this little wench had managed to drain most of his remaining magic energy. "I can't draw this out too much longer. I have to put everything I have into my next attack and finish this quickly." he decided. With one final battle cry, Laxus launched himself at Hana. "Iron Fist of the Lightning Dragon!" he roared as he concentrated all of his remaining magical energy into his right fist.

"Iron Fist of the Earth Dragon!" Hana bellowed in reply as large amounts of dust began circling her left hand. Their fists connected, and a sound like thunder echoed through the air as the ground cracked and all the windows within a mile shattered. Laxus stumbled back and didn't get up.

"That's what you get for messing with the Dragon Slayer Queen, Sparky. Now, sweet dreams!" Hana grinned, but her smile faded when she sensed a presence behind her. Before she could turn around, a sword was pressed against her neck.

"Don't move," Freed hissed threateningly in Hana's ear, "otherwise, I'll slit your throat."

Hana growled. Moving quickly, she slammed her head into Freed's, and as he stumbled back, she grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder. However, as he fell, Freed kicked Hana's legs out from underneath her, and she fell on top of him. Flipping, onto her stomach, Hana sank her nails into Freed's shoulders, holding him down. The green-haired mage stared up at her, his eyes wide and mouth curved into a cute, surprised, little "o."

Suddenly, Hana's grip loosened as she face went slack. She fell over beside Freed, coughing violently with blood spilling from her lips in waterfalls. 

"I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" she mentally panicked.

Freed recoiled at the sight of the puddle of blood forming beneath her. When he heard a loud ripping sound to his left, he glanced up to see Evergreen landing gracefully on the ground, a pile of shredded vines at her feet.

"Good work, Freed!" she cheered when she saw Hana's limp form on the ground.

"I-I-I didn't..." Freed tried to explain.

"Hana! You monster!" Kiyo screamed at Freed after dodging one of Bickslow's dolls. "Rose Crossbows!" Her bo staff vanished, and two rosy pink crossbows appeared in her hands, which she trained on Freed.

"Freed, look out!" Evergreen shouted as the girl shot

If it hadn't been for Evergreen, Freed would've been impaled by the deadly pink projectiles. At the sound of his friend's voice, Freed snapped out of his daze and raised his sword, barely blocking the arrows. He shook his head to clear any of the remaining fog. These girls were the enemy; he couldn't afford to be sorry for them. They had hurt Natsu, and-

"EVERYBODY STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!" At the sound of Natsu's voice, all eyes snapped to the guild entrance. Natsu was leaning against the doorframe, panting heavily, but his eyes glinted with an angry fire.

"Sierra, have Athena release my teammates and return Lucy's keys." Natsu ordered.

"But-"

"Now!"

Sierra sighed. "Athena, do as he says."

"Yes, my lady. Medusa Effect: Undo!"

In the blink of an eye, the entire guild was returned to flesh and bone.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried as she helped Gray to his feet.

With the grunt, Athena tossed the keys to Sierra, who reluctantly handed them to Lucy after the girl had stood up.

"Fairy Tail, stand down! These girls are not the enemy." Natsu stated.

"But they attacked us!" Elfman argued.

"We technically attacked them first." Wendy murmured hesitantly.

With a choked cough, more blood spilled from Hana's throat, some dripping from her nose as well.

"I need you all to listen to me! That girl saved my life, and she needs medical treatment fast!" Natsu stated, pointing at Hana. "She inhaled an extremely acidic toxic gas while fighting a member of a dark guild, so I need someone with advanced medical skills to heal her before her lungs at dissolved completely! Can anyone do that?!"

"I can do it!" Wendy replied.

"Wendy, are you sure? I don't want you to hurt yourself." Carla cautioned.

"I have to try, Carla. She saved Natsu's life! Also, I don't know why, but I feel connected to her..." Wendy said as she looked at the girl.

"Alright, I need someone to carry Hana. The rest of you need to make a clear path to the infirmary." Natsu stated. However, as a sharp pain ripped through his side, he buckled over and gasped.

"Natsu, you're still not well either. You're our priority, not them." Erza stated, casting a glare at Sierra.

"Did you not hear me, Erza? I said GET HANA INTO THE INFIRMARY RIGHT NOW!!!!" Natsu bellowed,  clenching his fists.

Erza took a step back, surprised.

"Besides, I ate some of Hephaestus's fire, so I'm fine for now." Natsu continued.

"I told you not to eat that! Do you have any idea what that's going to do to your stomach?!" Hephaestus screeched.

"Natsu, you should go back in the infirmary also and get patched up." Sierra said as she walked over as placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Might I remind you that you have broken bones?"

"I can't exhaust Wendy's power. I'll manage." Natsu muttered.

"Then I'll call in backup." Sierra stated as she reached for another key.

"My lady, you can't! You've already used so much of your magical power." Athena cautioned.

"I have enough power for one more gate, Athena. Besides, you and Hephaestus should return home. You both have had a long day."

"But miss-"

"I'm fine, Athena. I promise."

"And if you're not?"

"Then you can rub it in my face later." Sierra smiled. "Now go."

Athena could sense something had been off about her master ever since the girl name Lucy had summoned Leo, but she couldn't refuse orders.

"Yes, my lady." she replied, bowing politely before vanishing with Hephaestus.

"Gate of the Healer, I open thee! Apollo!" Sierra called, and in a flash of blinding light, the God of the Sun, Healing, Music, and Archery was beside her.

"You called?" he asked in a warm voice as his dazzling blue eyes stared at Sierra.

"Yes, I need you to assist that girl Wendy in healing Natsu and Hana, understand?" Sierra stated, pointing at Wendy, the Natsu and Hana.

"Of course. It will be as you wish, sunshine." Apollo replied, shooting a wink at Sierra. He gently wrapped one of Natsu's arms around his shoulders.

"I said make a path!" Natsu shouted at the crowd again. "And didn't I tell one of you to grab Hana?!"

"I've got it." Gajeel and Laxus said at the same time. They looked at each other with wide eyes.

"You go ahead." Laxus muttered, looking at the floor.

Gajeel easily scooped up Hana's form and carried her toward the infirmary with Apollo, Natsu, and Wendy following behind them. As the infirmary door clicked closed, silence swept over everyone.

Kiyo glanced at Sierra and noticed she was biting her lip. She only did when she had something serious on her mind.

"Is something wrong, Sierra?" she asked softly.

"No, it's nothing." Sierra replied as she pulled her hood back up. "We should find a spot to make camp." She stated, turning toward the open doorway. She shot a glare at Erza. "We'll return in the morning."

Reluctantly, Kiyo trailed behind Sierra out into the night, trekking into the woods that surrounded the guild. No one tried to stop them.

"You all should return home as well. We'll make repairs in the morning." Erza said. "Goodnight."

As everyone began to disperse, Levy noticed Lucy was frozen in place, a look of shock on her face.

"Lu-chan? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"That was Apollo. That was Apollo! How did she get Apollo's key..." Lucy trailed off as she stared at the vacant doorway Sierra had walked through moments before. "Who is she?"

\------------------------------------

As soon as Kiyo was asleep, Sierra slipped out of the tent and ventured out into the night. Walking a few yards away from the campsite, she leaned against a tree and slid to the ground. Glancing upward, she stared at the starry sky.

"I found you, Leo." she whispered to herself. "And even though you probably hate me now, I'm going to protect you. I promise."

 

((Natsu: I'm so confused!!!

Me: That's because you started reading from the middle of the book instead of the beginning, you baka!

Happy: You didn't miss much, Natsu. The beginning was pretty boring anyways.

Me: Do you just hate me or something?

Lucy: *enters* Hey guys! What's up?

Me: I'm TRYING to write a book, but these two keep interrupting. *glares at Natsu and Happy*

Lucy: You're writing a book too?! I want to read it! *snatches up the book and runs away*

Me: Lucy, come back! I'm not done!

Natsu: And I need to read the beginning, so give it back! *chases after Lucy*

Me: *facepalms* I'm locking my doors from now on.))


	7. Chapter 7

When Lucy entered the guild the next morning, she nearly choked on the tension in the air. The hall was unusually silent, its normally rowdy members hunched stiffly over tables and muttering to each other in hushed tones.

"Lucy!" Wendy called cheerfully from one of the tables, standing on her chair and waving wildly.

"You're going to fall and hurt yourself, Wendy." Carla said dully.

Lucy chuckled at the little girl and walked over, sliding onto the bench beside Gray as Wendy plopped back down beside Erza. At least someone was acting the same as usual.

"How's Natsu?" The blonde asked.

"He and Hana have been sleeping ever since Apollo and I finished healing them early this morning." Wendy smiled enthusiastically.

"This morning? Aren't you tired?"

"Nah, not really. Apollo did most of the heavy work. I just assisted along the way."

"Oh." Lucy replied. She glanced around at the guild once more. Normally, she found her friends' constant noise annoying, but this deathly silence was far worse. "Hey, what's up with everybody?"

"You didn't hear? Master let those three wenches join Fairy Tail this morning." Gray grumbled.

"Gray, be nice." Erza cautioned.

"No, I will not be nice! They attacked and humiliated us."

"So did Gajeel and Juvia, and we still let the join. Plus, in their defense, we attacked first."

"Whose side are you on?!" Gray snapped.

Erza glared at him murderously. "Don't yell at me, Fullbuster."

With a huff, Gray spun to look at Lucy, who yelped under his harsh gaze. "Lucy, you agree with me, don't you?!"

"Well-everyone deserves a second chance, right?" 

"You too?!"

"Sorry, Gray."

With an annoyed huff, Gray laid his arms on the table and rested his chin on top of them. "Well, just because their guildmates doesn't mean I have to be nice to them."

"You're just being a sore loser, Gray. Get over it." Carla stated flatly from her place beside Wendy.

Gray rolled his eyes.

"Um, excuse me, is that seat taken?" came a voice from behind him.

Gray turned to see Kiyo standing a few feet away, pointing at the vacant spot across from him next to Lucy.

"Yep; go away." he replied.

Kiyo's face fell at his response, but as she turned away, Lucy cleared her throat.

"Ignore him; he's just being a sourpuss. The seat's all yours." The blonde smiled.

Kiyo's grin returned and she quickly slid in beside Lucy. Twiddling her thumbs, she stared at her lap and began tapping her foot anxiously beneath the table. Gray glanced at her with an annoyed expression.

"What's the matter? You gotta pee or something?" he grumbled.

"N-n-no. I'm just a little nervous, that's all." Kiyo stuttered in reply. "I-I-I'm actually a big fan."

"A fan?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, I grew up hearing about the adventures of Team Natsu of Fairy Tail, and you guys are kinda my heroes." Kiyo explained while twirling a strand of her amber hair around her index finger.

Gray narrowed his eyes at Kiyo suspiciously. "A fan, you say; I doubt it. A true fan would be able to name three facts about each of us, including those not present."

"Erza likes cake, she gets stagefright, and she has one fake eye. Gray, your necklace is the only article of clothing that you never take off, your stripping habit is a result of your magical training, and your partner during the S-Class Trials was Loke aka Leo the Lion. Lucy, you currently own ten of the twelve Zodiac keys, your father was the former billionaire Jude Heartfilia, and Imitatia of the reborn Oracion Seis was a doll you were given brought to life by Brain II. Natsu received his scarf from the dragon, Igneel, he gets motion sickness like many other dragon slayers, and he raised Happy from an egg. Happy is an Exceed from Edolas, he loves fish, and he has a crush on someone whom I can't say." Kiyo recited expertly, winking at Carla as she said the last part.

"Wow, you do know a lot; that's not creepy or stalkerish at all." Gray smirked.

Kiyo's face fell. "But you said..."

"There's only room for one stalker in Gray-sama's life and that's Juvia." Juvia growled as she suddenly appeared out of nowhere and wrapped her arms possessively around Gray's neck. "Now go away."

Kiyo just stared, utter confusion written on her face.

"Alright, next question in your fan pop quiz: which one of us is your favorite?" Gray asked while prying Juvia off of him.

Kiyo blushed. "Uh-I'd have to say Natsu; IMSORRYGRAYPLEASEDONTFREEZEMYHEADINABLOCKOFICE." She gushed, holding her hands above her head.

Gray frowned and returned to pouting. "You just failed."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Ignore him. He's being a moody teenage girl at the moment."

"I am not!"

Kiyo giggled, slapping her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. "It's just like the stories say; you guys are hilarious."

Suddenly, the soft clicking of heels against the hardwood floor sounded nearby, and all eyes snapped to Mirajane as she began to hang up a dozen or so new requests on the bulletin board.

"Finally, I think we all need a job to distract us." Erza said, standing. She glanced at Gray, who was muttering to himself with his arms folded over his chest. "Gray, why don't you go choose a request for us?" she said casually.

"No thanks, I'm good." Gray mumbled in reply as he glared at the wall.

Erza frowned and said sternly, "Gray, get off your lazy arse and go pick out a request now."

Gray glanced over at Erza and gulped when he noticed the harsh glare she was giving him. "Fine," he sighed, standing and placing his hands in his pockets of his boxers since he had somehow managed once again to lose his shirt and shorts. "I'll pick a bloody request."

"Juvia will help!" Juvia exclaimed excitedly as she followed him over to the request board.

"Gray....your clothes...." Kiyo mumbled, her cheeks bright red. Lucy immediately covered her eyes.

Scanning the fliers critically, Gray bit his lip as he thought.

"No, not that one. No, that one's not worth the pay. No, that one is too risky to take without Natsu. No, that one's too boring. No, that one's too close to Blue Pegasus-Ah, there's one!" Gray grinned and reached out for the request. However, as his fingers wrapped around the smooth paper, another hand grasped the corner of the paper. Gray's eyes immediately snapped over to meet Sierra's, and the two stared at each other fiercely.

"Uh oh." Lucy cringed. "This isn't going to end well."

"Uh, that's my request. Let go." Gray growled, his pupils narrowing.

"You don't own the request board, Stripper. I grabbed it first, so it's mine." Sierra hissed back.

"There are plenty of other requests; pick one of those instead." Gray snapped.

"You better do as Gray-sama says or else." Juvia threatened.

"Why don't you pick another request? This one is mine. It's close by, and I don't want to be far away from Hana when she is in the hands of strangers." Sierra huffed, completely ignoring Juvia and yanking on the paper. However, Gray didn't let go.

"In the hands of strangers, huh? That a great thing to say about your guildmates, the people you're supposed to trust."

"You expect me to trust you when you don't trust me?!"

"Why don't you share the request?" Mirajane suggested.

Gray and Sierra froze, looked of shock and utter horror etched on their faces as their sick paled.

"Absolutely not!" They exclaimed in unison before snapping at each other, "Stop copying me!"

"Well, then one of you needs to be the bigger person and let the other have the request." the white-haired girl said.

Gray and Sierra resumed their intense staredown, jaws clenched as they both gripped the paper tightly. However, slowly, Sierra's face slackened slightly, and she relaxed her grip of the paper ever so slightly.

"She's giving in! She's going to let me have it." Gray smirked internally. "Stupid girl, nobody wins a fight against Gray Fullbuster, especially some egotistical newbie."

However, Sierra's face shifted into a sinister smirk, a dangerous light dancing in her eyes, and she said, "Fine. We'll do the job together."

Gray's heart leaped into his throat as his mouth hung open. "Wait, what?!"

"Alright, good luck then." Mirajane sang. "Erza, I expect you to keep them under control!"

"I will, Mira. Don't worry about it." Erza replied as she, Lucy, Kiyo, and Happy joined Gray, Sierra, and Juvia by the board.

"Erza, you're going along with this?! Are you crazy?!" Gray exclaimed.

"I have no quarrel with our new friends. Plus, this will give you the opportunity to smooth things over." the redhead replied with a sly smile.

"What request did you choose anyways?" Kiyo asked.

"Yajima's restaurant needs some help apparently. I thought it would be some quick and easy cash." Gray replied.

"Quick and easy sounds good to me." Sierra grinned. "Although I don't think the client will appreciate you showing up in your underwear."

Gray gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll put on some pants and a shirt. Will that make you shut up?"

"Yes."

"Gray-sama, no! Don't listen to her! Juvia likes you with your shirt off!" Juvia cried.

Grabbing his clothes, Gray stormed toward a closet in the back of the guild. "Give me five minutes." He called over his shoulder.

"This should be an interesting day to say the least." Lucy thought to herself.

Suddenly, the doors of the guild opened and in stepped Laxus, the Raijinshu right behind him. As he headed toward the bar, Erza noticed Kiyo glared holes into the back of his head. However, before she could mention it, the closet door opened and Gray marched out.

"That's much better." Sierra praised him. "Now you won't mentally scar any of the customers."

Gray rolled his eyes with a huff. "Can we just leave please?"

"You have the flier with the directions, so lead the way." Sierra replied.

Grumbling under his breath, Gray began walking toward the door, Juvia clinging tightly to his arm. The others followed, but just as they were leaving, Sierra noticed Laxus silently slipping into the infirmary.

"What is he up to?" she frowned. "Should I not go after all. No-this is what Hana would want me to be doing. If she has to, she can defend herself. I have nothing to worry about."

"Blondie, hurry up!" Gray shouted.

Spinning on her heels, Sierra chased after the group, leaving her friend in the guild's tender care.

\--------------

Shutting the door quietly behind him, Laxus's eyes scanned the infirmary till they landed on Hana's swaddled form on a cot. Sneaking past a sleeping Natsu, he grabbed a chair and sat down beside Hana's bed. Lips pressed firmly together, he stared down at her silently, his shadow blanketing her body. Something about her was-he couldn't find the word. Wrong seemed too harsh, and off didn't sit right either. Peculiar maybe? It didn't matter. Whatever she was, it had his curiously going wild, and he needed answers. He watched her slowly begin to stir and opened one tired eye to glance up at him.

"You know it's considered kind of creepy to watch people when they're sleeping." she mumbled tiredly.

Laxus didn't smile. "Where did you learn to fight like that, and why do you seem different from the other Dragon Slayers that I've met."

Smirking, Hana brought a finger to her lips and winked. "Shh."

"You'll tell me one way or another, whether it's now or later."

"We'll see about that, Sparky."


	8. Chapter 8

At about noon, Team Natsu and Team Sierra arrived at the 8-Island restaurant in Magnolia. Entering the building, they found it was deserted.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Lucy called.

"That's odd; Yajima always has customers." Erza mused.

"You must not be able to read, Titania." Yajima said as he emerged from the kitchen, a broom in hand. "Check the door."

The group's eyes snapped to the door through which they had just come. Hanging on it was a sign with word 'CLOSED' written on it in big, black letters.

"Oh, that makes sense." Lucy blushed.

Yajima cocked an eyebrow at Sierra and Kiyo. "Who are they? And where's Natsu?"

"These two are some of Fairy Tail's newest recruits, Kiyo and Sierra." Erza replied. "Natsu is currently stuck in the infirmary at the guild due to some trouble he got himself into."

"I'm not surprised." Yajima laughed. "Welcome girls. I'm glad to have you on board."

"Enough with the chit chat. What's the problem, old man?" Gray asked impatiently.

Yajima sighed, "Apparently someone is feeling uptight, but I guess the sooner this issue is solved the better. Yesterday, one of my waitresses decided to stay late and clean the restaurant as a surprise for me. However, as she was finishing up early this morning, someone broke in and attacked her. She's managed to catch him or her by surprise and wound him or her, but she was overpowered and beat up. Along with the girl's purse, half of the money in the cash register and some of my ingredients are gone. I want you to find the thief and bring him or her to justice."

"Sounds easy enough. We just need to wait until nightfall and attack the thief when he or she comes back." Erza mused.

"How do you know she or he will come back?" Lucy exclaimed.

"Gut feeling."

"Are you sure that it's your gut and not your stomach? You did skip breakfast." Kiyo mumbled sheepishly.

"Well that's great, what are we supposed to do till nightfall?" Gray asked.

"We could go on a date, Gray-sama!" Juvia suggested excited.

"Not exactly what I had in mind..."

"Actually, I could use some help around the restaurant. Most of my employees were too frightened to come into work today, but I still have a business to run. That being said, would you mind filling in for them just for today?" Yajima asked hopefully.

"I don't know. You didn't mention that in the flier..."

"I'll double the pay."

"You've got a deal."

"Great. Uniforms are in the back. Go get ready and then meet me back out here for your assignments."

"Wait, Mr. Yajima, how many uniforms do you have available?" Sierra inquired.

Yajima cocked a suspicious eyebrow at the peculiar question. "Six girl uniforms and four guy uniforms. Why?"

"Just curious." Sierra stated, grabbing three of her keys. Holding them out, she chanted. "Gates of the Messenger, the Wine God, and the Harvest, I open thee! Hermes! Dionysus! Demeter!"

Three figures immediately materialized before the blonde: a boy in a purple shirt with glasses, a red headed girl with bright green eyes, and a redheaded boy chomping on a large wad of bubble gum.

"She's holding three gates open at once? Incredible!" Lucy gasped in awe. She immediately grabbed her keyring. "I'll get some of my spirits to help too. Gate of the Maiden, I open-"

"Oh crap!" Sierra panicked. Instinctively, she laid a gentle hand on Lucy's arm and flashed her an overly enthusiastic smile. "It's fine, Lucy! You don't need to do that. Besides, there are only three extra uniforms. Just consider this as me making amends for yesterday."

Lucy frowned as her heart dropped. "Oh, okay." She mumbled, staring at the floor. "Did I step on a nerve or something?" she wondered.

Satisfied, Sierra spun around to face the three Greek gods. "Alrighty guys, here's the situation-" she began but was cut off by the boy with glasses.

"We already heard, Sierra. What do you need us to do?" he asked as he casually ran his fingers through his dark hair.

Sierra glanced back at Yajima. "Whatever this man tells you to do, you are to do it. Understand?" she said, pointing at him.

"Gotcha, boss woman." the boy with the gum winked. "Don't sweat a thing. Hermes is here to save the day!"

"Is it bad that I'm already annoyed with this guy?" Gray muttered more to himself than the others.

Hermes frowned and childishly stuck his tongue out at Gray. "At least I can keep track of my clothes-Ow! Demeter!" He yelped when the redheaded girl suddenly elbowed him in the ribcage.

Sierra chuckled as she watched her spirits. "Demeter, knock it off. Hermes, please try and control yourself." she chastised them sweetly.

"Yes, Sierra." Hermes and Demeter responded in unison.

"Alright, that's enough chit chat; everybody head into the back and get changed. We're burning daylight! Move move move!" Kiyo exclaimed, clapping her hands impatiently.

Gray flinched and pinched the bridge of his nose as his head throbbed painfully. "Could she be any louder?"

"At least she's focused." Erza grinned.

Yajima frowned as he watched the group file toward the back of the restaurant. Something about Sierra seemed off to him. He had noticed how anxious she became when Lucy started to pull out her keys. Had she had a bad experience with Celestial Magic? But she was a Celestial Mage herself, so that wouldn't make sense. That wasn't the only thing that was bugging him though. Something about her seemed familiar....

"Miss, should I know you from somewhere?" he asked Sierra.

The blonde stiffened at his words. "Uh, n-n-no sir. I'm a nobody." she stuttered blushing.

"Sierra, hurry up!" Kiyo called.

Relief flooded over Sierra as she spun on her heels and raced into the back of the building before Yajima could ask her another question.

"A nobody....." the old man pondered to himself, sinking deep into thought. "A nobody...."

\-------------------

"Food...."

It was the first thing Hana smelled when awakened. Sniffing the air, her mouth immediately began to water. It wasn't just any food she was smelling; it was meat: the main component of every dragon's diet. Immediately, her mouth began to water as she slipped out of bed and followed the scent to the infirmary door. Opening it, she peered out into the main room of the guild hall, her eyes scanning the room till they landed on the large turkey leg Laxus was currently holding as he talked with the Raijinshu. Licking her lips, she stealthily crept along the wall and ducked behind the support pillar closest to her target. Diverting all her power to her legs, she shot from behind the pillar like a bullet and sprang into the air, soaring over Laxus's head and snatching the turkey leg from his hand before anyone knew what was happening. After striking a perfect landing, she flashed the surprised blonde a smile. "A gift for me, Sparky? Aw, you shouldn't have." Spinning around on her heels, she proceeded to walk away, or at least she tried to. However, as she took her first step, her body slammed against something, and the girl fell back onto her rear with an oomph.

"That's weird, I could've sworn that there was a wall there. Did I crash into somebody?" Hana thought. Slowly she looked up, and her brows furrowed in confusion when she saw nothing in front her. Frowning, she brushed herself off and tried again, and just like the first time, some invisible force knock her back. Some purple letters appeared out of thin air, surrounding her in a wall of violet. "What the heck-?!"

"That isn't yours." Freed stated as he stood up from his seat and approached the rune cage he had constructed.

"Well, it is now."

"Give it back."

"No! Have Sparky just get another turkey leg."

"Why don't you just grab another turkey leg?!"

"Because I don't know where they are!"

"Then ask!"

"Nobody'll talk to me!"

"That's because you attacked us yesterday!"

"Because you attacked me!"

"Enough both of you! You sound like children fighting over a toy, and it's giving me a headache." Evergreen exclaimed as she massaged her temple.

Frowning, Freed reached through the rune wall and plucked the food from Hana's hand, wiping it off and returning it to Laxus's plate.

"Okay, he has his darn turkey leg back; now let me out!" Hana huffed.

"No." the rune mage replied simply as he sat back down.

Hana's face turned bright red as her blood began to boil. "Why you little-You got what you wanted, so you have to let me go! You have no right to do this-"

"Oh, I have every right. I made the cage, so I make the rules, which can change whenever I like." Freed purred slyly, his lips curving into a smirk.

"You little prick!" Growling, Hana slammed herself against the invisible wall with all her might. When it didn't give way, she threw herself at it again, over and over till she collapsed from exhaustion.

"That isn't going to work. My runes can hold Laxus when he's at his best, so they are most certain to hold you while you're at your worst." Freed stated.

"You don't know a thing, Greenie." Hana snapped, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

"Greenie. Wow, great insult. That really hurt my feelings." Freed muttered sarcastically.

"Shut up." Hana panted her sweat began to leak down her brow. "Is it getting hot in here? I think your guys' AC lacrima is broken."

"Our AC lacrima is fine. The runes you are trapped in are merely heating the air around you to make you sweat so you'll become dehydrated."

"Why the heck would you do that?!"

"My team and I don't have all day to wait around for you to answer our questions, so I decided to use your basic survival needs against you in order to get information faster. The sooner you talk, the sooner you get out, as well as receive food and water."

"You bastard!" Hana screeched, her eyes wild. She desperate searched for any holes in the rune wall but saw none. "I need to get out of here! This guy's insane!" she thought to herself. "Wait a minute, the floor! There aren't any runes on the floor! And beneath the floor is..." Raising her fists above her head, Hana hit the floorboards as hard as she could, and they shattered on impact, giving way to reveal the dark earth beneath it. Scooping some of the rich soil into her hands, the Earth Dragon Slayer poured it into her mouth and swallowed the whole thing in one gulp. 

Freed grimaced. "That's disgusting."

"But satisfying." Hana sneered. "What are you going to do now, Mr. I'm-Smarter-Than-A-Dragon-Slayer?"

"You may have solved your issue with food, but you still need water." Freed grinned. "It was a good try but vain as well."

Hana glanced at the dirt floor beneath her. "I beg to differ." Driving her hands back into the soil, Hana began digging feverishly, dirt flying in every direction around her. 

"That's pointless as well. No matter how far you dig down, my runes will still be there." Freed stated. "Just give up."

"No!" 

Hana continued her desperate digging for about ten minutes, the air temperature rising steadily around her as she dug deeper. Sweat poured from every pore on her body like a fountain, dripping into her eyes and mouth and down her face, back, arms, and legs. After digging a hole only about a foot and a half deep, she collapsed, laying her head on the hot, wooden floorboards as she panted heavily.

"Ready to cooperate?" Freed asked smugly.

"Go to hell, you son of a b-"

"Language! There are children present!" Freed teased, his eyes widening with mock horror.

"I hope you fall off a cliff and break every bone in your body."

"Rather violent, aren't we?"

"Just ask me the bloody question already."

"Gladly. How were you able to beat Laxus?"

Hana rolled her eyes. This again? Seriously? "I already told the Fire Dragon Slayer, and you won't be any happier with the answer than he was."

"Try me."

"The answer is simply. I was able to beat Sparky because I am the superior dragon."

Freed's expression darkened as his eyes narrowed. "Wrong answer."

"How can you decide whether my answer is right or wrong when you don't even know the right answer yourself, you bastard-"

"I think I'm going to leave you to cook a little longer, and we'll talk when you're ready to be realistic." Freed stated, turning his back on the woman. 

Groaning, Hana stared blankly at the ceiling above her. How much longer did she have before she passed out due to dehydration? She didn't know. Whether they were dragon slayers, another type of wizard, or just ordinary, one thing was certain: men were idiots. That was the one thing Amazon Armor had been right about.

"Freed, maybe you should let her go. She looks likes she's gonna pass out." Evergreen said worriedly as she watched the girl's still form.

"She's a dragon slayer. She can handle it." Freed replied dully, fingering his drink.

"Need-water." Glancing around the room once more, Hana noticed an unattended water pitcher sitting on the edge of a nearby table. "Must-have-water." Shakily raising herself onto her legs, she mustered what little strength she had left and threw herself at wall one last time. The force caused the room to shake slightly, but it was just enough to send the pitcher crashing to the ground. As the glass shattered, the cool liquid raced along the floorboards heading straight for her.

"Yes!" Hana sighed in relief as she watched the water crawl closer and closer. However, her heart dropped as the water stopped moving when it reached the rune wall. "No..." she whimpered. Glancing at Freed, she snarled. "You suck."

"Just tell me the truth, and this will all be over." Freed responded calmly.

"I did tell you the truth! The full explanation is far too complex for someone like you to understand."

"Have fun roasting in there then. I hear dragons taste best when they're done medium well anyways."

"Moron." Hana grumbled, fanning her hand in front of her face. "Can you at least make these walls opaque?"

Freed's brows furrowed in confusion. "Pardon?"

"Can you make the walls opaque?"

"Yes, but why would I-What are you doing?!" Freed yelped, his cheeks turning bright pink when he noticed Hana slipping her arms out of the straps of her tanktop.

Hana looked up at him, confusion written across her face. When she was younger, she had always been allowed to strip down her underwear when it got hot out since no one was around other than her and Terran-wait a minute, that was it! Hana's eyes sparkled with mischief as she bit her tongue to keep from grinning. "I'm just stripping like I always do when it gets hot out." She said innocently.

"You can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're around other people!"

"So?"

"You can't strip in front of other people! It's wrong."

"Then make the walls opaque! Unless you want to sneak a peak." Hana smirked, tugging suggestively at the edge of her top.

"Absolutely not!" Freed screeched as his face went from pink to scarlet to fire engine red.

"I'm stripping whether you make the walls opaque or not, so you had better make your decision." Hana stated as she began to unzip the zipper on the side of her skirt.

Freed's eyes widened with real horror this time. "What do I do?! What do I do?! What do I do?! Wait, what is wrong with me?! I've never reacted like this around a girl before. What is tightening feeling in my chest? I need to stop this now- then she won't answer the question. I'll have failed Laxus and brought shame upon him-ugh, but I need to stop this!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll let you out, so just stop!" he exclaimed as his face burned with embarrassment.

Hana smiled victoriously, rezipping her skirt and slipping her arms back into the straps of her top as the runes faded. "Thank you." she sang tauntingly as she waltzed past Freed toward the bar counter.

"I thought you said women weren't your weakness, Freed." Bickslow laughed, eying his friend's rosy cheeks.

"Shut up, Bickslow." Freed snapped back, hanging his head and staring at the floor beneath the table.

"Mira, give me the biggest glass you have filled to the brim with water." Hana chirped as she slid into a seat.

"Sure thing, Hana." Mirajane smiled. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I could've used some help."

"It looks like you handled things fine on your own. I don't think I've ever seen Freed's face so red before; he looks like a tomato."

Hana chuckled as she glanced over her shoulder at the blushing man. "I guess he does."

As she set the large glass of water down in front of the dragon slayer, something in Mirajane's mind clicked. "Oh, that's right! Kiyo and Sierra went off on a job with another team while you were asleep, but I have directions to the location if you feel up to joining them."

"Of course I'm up to it!"

"Great! Here are the directions to the client's location. Have fun!" Mirajane said, handing Hana a piece of paper.

"Oh-thanks." the brunette grimaced. "Crap..."

"You had better get going if you want to get there before the dinner rush. They're definitely going to need your help then."

"Ya, ya, sure thing. Thanks, Mira." Hana said, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly as she stood up and walked out the door. "Shoot..." However, as she was leaving, she failed to notice Evergreen's eyes following her every move, a suspicious frown etched on the woman's lips.

"It's alright, Freed. I'm not mad or anything." Laxus told his disappointed, green-haired companion.

"Yeah, you'll get another chance, Freed! Cheer up!" Bickslow sang.

"Actually, I think you just got one." Evergreen smirked. "Hana just left by herself with the map Mirajane gave her."

"So?" Freed frowned.

"It was trying to read it upside down. That means she's either extremely dumb or..."

Freed smirked deviously as he realized what she was implying. "Oh. I see now. Evergreen, you're brilliant."

"Thank you. I try." the woman cooed, her chest swelling with pride.

"I'll be back later. You guys better not go on a mission without me!" Freed stated as he raced out the door after Hana.

Bickslow frowned. "Uh-I have no clue what's going on."

"That's because you're stupid, Bickslow." Evergreen smiled.

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

Laxus groaned and laid his head on the table in front of him. "Kill me..." he muttered to himself.

\-----------------

"Orders for Table 1, Table 7, and Table 18 are ready!" Yajima called from the kitchen.

"Drinks for Tables 2, 4, and 15 are ready." Dionysus shouted from bar.

"I got it the drinks!" Sierra exclaimed so the rest of her team could hear her.

"I'll get the food!" Lucy replied.

Squeezing past Erza and Demeter as they took order, Sierra accidentally collided with Kiyo. "Sorry!" she squeaked.

"It's fine, but Sierra, why do I have to sweep the floors and clean tables while Happy gets to work the bar?!" 

"Easy answer. It's because you're a minor."

"But Happy's a cat! He'll get fur in the drinks!" 

"Technically, he's an Exceed. If you're not happy with the job arrangements, talk to Yajima." Sierra sighed as she dashed around her friend and over to a waiting Dionysus.

"Are you sure you don't need a break? You look tired. You can trade spots with me." he said worriedly.

"I'm fine." Sierra panted back, smiling weakly. Hoisting the tray of drinks onto her shoulder, she strutted over to the closest table and began serving them their drinks. But as she was bent over the table, she sensed someone watching her. Looking up, she noticed a lone, hooded figure staring at her from across the street. However, when their eyes met, he immediately turned and walked away. Sierra frowned as a knot settled in her stomach. Something had seemed off about that guy-

"Sierra! Stop daydreaming and start moving!" Gray snapped from behind her.

Sierra rolled her eyes. "I wasn't daydreaming." she grumbled as she stood back up and hurried over to another table, thoughts of the mysterious man retreating to the back of her conscience. He was probably just a passerby, nothing to worry about.


	9. Chapter 9

"Wait, didn't I already pass this house? Crap! I'm just going in circles." Hana groaned irritably. One would expect Mirajane to give the dragon slayer a common picture map, but no. The map Hana had received was words only. She had been wandering aimlessly around Magnolia all day, determined to find the restaurant without asking for any help, but now as the sun had almost completely disappeared over the horizon, she crumpled the map and shoved it into her skirt pocket.

"Screw it. I'm asking someone." She thought. Glancing around, she quickly found a man and woman strolling casually down the street, hand and hand, smiling and laughing.

"Excuse me, I seem to be lost. Would you mind helping me?" She asked as she approached the two.

"Sure. Where do you need to go?" the man smiled back.

"Where do I need to go....!" It was then that Hana realized that she was in trouble. "I don't even know the name of the place, do I? Crap!"

"You know what, nevermind. Thanks anyways." She chuckled bashfully before hurrying down the street.

"Um, you're welcome?" the man replied, confused. Had he even done anything?

As the stars began to twinkle overhead, a cool night breeze swept down the street. Goosebumps immediately sprang forth on Hana's skin, and she wrapped her arms tightly around her body in a futile attempt to keep warm. Shivering, she stopped and leaned against the wall of a nearby building.

"I should just go back to the guild. I have no clue where I'm going, and Sierra and Kiyo probably finished the job already anyways. Alright, go back to the guild it is-which way was the guild again?" Hana stared blankly at the four main streets before her, unsure which one she had come from. "Shoot-I'm screwed."

"Lost?" A familiar voice called out, making Hana's skin crawl. Glancing to her left, she saw Freed waltzing up to her, a smirk on his face. She didn't answer him.

"Didn't Mirajane give you a map?" Freed continued to prod smugly.

Again, Hana didn't say a word.

"Here, let me see it. Mirajane always has so much to do that I wouldn't be surprised if she accidentally wrote down the wrong directions. Allow me to check it for you." The green-haired mage offered, holding out his hand.

Hana glared at his extended hand like it was a poisonous snake preparing to strike, but she slowly dug into her pocket, withdrawing the crumpled map and placing it in Freed's palm. Unfurling it, the man's eyes scanned the paper, and for a moment, his smile wavered. Hope briefly filled Hana's chest, but then the smirk returned.

"Nope, the directions are all correct, so the map isn't the problem." Freed stated slyly, handing it paper back to her. "Why didn't you ask for directions though if you were having trouble with the map? The name of the location is on the paper, is it not?"

"No, it isn't." Hana replied calmly, hoping to sound confident.

"Yes, it is. It's right there!" Freed said, pointing to a few words on the page. "The 8-Island Restaurant. You passed it about five times already. Didn't you see the sign?"

"No, I didn't see it."

"Seriously? It's really hard to miss. Yajima recently had neon lights installed inside it to make it even more noticeable. So, either you weren't paying attention or-" Freed gasped dramatically as if he had just made an astonishing discovery, "you can't read!"

Hana's cheeks immediately began to burn. Eyes narrowing, she scowled darkly at the man. "You're a bloody prick. Leave me alone right now."

"I can't do that! As a gentleman, I cannot allow a lady to wander the streets at night by herself." Freed teased.

"What do you want?" Hana snarled.

"You already know."

"And I already gave you an answer."

"It wasn't sufficient."

"Not my problem."

Suddenly, another gust of chilly air blasted through the town, causing Hana to shiver violently. Frowning, Freed removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"W-w-what are you doing?" Hana stuttered as her teeth chattered.

"As a gentleman, I cannot allow a lady to freeze without a coat while I am warm." Freed answered, his voice taking a softer, kinder tone.

Hana wanted so badly to come up with some snide remark for the bastard, but her mind was completely blank. "Thank you." her lips replied mechanically as she wrapped the coat tighter around herself. "But I'm still not telling you anything."

"Is that so?" Freed grinned as her took a step closer to her, his nose inches away from hers. "I bet I can change your mind."

"Try me."

"I have an offer for you. In exchange for you telling me the secret of your power and teaching Laxus that power, I will teach you how to read and write."

Hana frowned. Her source of power was an age old secret that was supposed to be sacred to the line of dragon slayer queens, but at the same time, she needed to learn to read and write to adapt to her new environment. Also, there was Kiyo, who would kill her if she so much as smiled at Laxus, so offering to help him was pretty much suicide for their friendship. Oh, what was she going to do?

".....Fine." she sighed. "You win."

Freed grinned excitedly. He had succeeded. However, when he noticed the sad expression on Hana's face, his stomach dropped. "Hana, is something wrong?"

"Terran would kill me right now if she were here, but in truth, she is the one at fault for never teaching me reading and writing." Hana stated, forcing a halfhearted chuckle. "However, there is one more remaining issue."

Freed frowned. "What's that?"

"I'm still lost." Hana blushed, glancing at her shoes. It was kind of embarrassing, being able to fight a dragon but unable to even recite the alphabet.

Freed smiled at her. "That's easy to solve. I'll take you to the restaurant."

"Seriously? Why?"

"Because you're my guild mate. Guild mates help other guild mates out, even if they don't get along." Freed answered. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I had a lot of time to think about it while I was following you today, and the way I treated you back at the guild was wrong. I'm-sorry." He choked on the word as he spoke. Apologizing wasn't easy for him, but he had been everything other than a gentleman to Hana that day. Even if she had beaten up Laxus, she was still a girl, and he needed to treat her with just as much respect as he would any other woman.

Hana's jaw dropped. He was apologizing?

"Close you mouth. You look like an idiot. And stop staring! Honestly, were you raised in a barn? Where are your manners?" Terran's voice echoed in her head. That was the first thing she had ever said to the girl when they met, and the memory of her scoldings always seemed to kick in right when Hana was doing something wrong. Even in her absence, she was keeping her apprentice in line.

Closing her mouth and shifting her gaze to the street ahead of her, Hana mumbled, "Thanks, but to make us even, I'm keeping this jacket."

Freed chuckled. "That's fine with me. I have more."

Hana rolled her eyes and stuck her hands into the pocket's of the coat when her hand struck something. Pulling it out, she realized it was a wallet. A wicked smirk crossed her face, causing Freed's stomach to flip.

"I'm keeping this too." Hana sang and sprinted down the street.

Freed immediately chased after her. "Hey! Get back here! That's mine!"

"Not anymore!"

\-------------------

"I'm hungry! Can I go inside and get something to eat?" Happy whined from his position in a tree.

"No. You'll risk the thief seeing you." Erza replied from another tree.

Happy groaned. "Sierra, can you summon Hephaestus to make a fire? I'm cold."

"That would give us away too!" Erza snapped.

"Then can you summon Dionysus, Sierra? He's the wine god, right? Mmm, wine and grapes sound good right now." Happy purred longingly, rubbing his stomach. "Although fish would be even better-"

"Happy, don't be so rude! Sierra's spirits aren't your personal catering company! Dionysus worked hard today; he has earned his rest." Lucy barked from her position in an alley with Sierra. "Now stop shouting before you alert the thief to our presence!"

"Fine, but don't get mad at me if my stomach starts growling." Happy huffed as he leaned against the tree trunk, his lower lip stuck out in a pout.

Sighing, Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose and leaned tiredly against the wall.

"Your friends seem like quite the handful." Sierra giggled from across the alley.

"You have no idea." Lucy grumbled back.

"But their hearts seem good, kind, and pure." She smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so." Lucy shrugged. "They also cause a lot of trouble though."

"So I've heard. Is it true that Natsu actually charged into the Magic Council's headquarters one time when Erza got arrested for no reason?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Lucy sighed. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you something. How did you get Apollo's key? I heard the last time it was found was 400 years ago."

Sierra blushed and rubbed her arm nervously. "Well, the truth is, I didn't find him. His key was given to me by my grandmother."

"Was she a celestial wizard?"

"No. It's kind of a long story-"

"Shh! Someone's coming!" Gray called from the alleyway on the other side of the building.

Everyone immediately stopped talking as two lone figures strolled down the street, halting in front of the restaurant.

"It would seem our thief brought a friend this time." Erza observed quietly.

The duo appeared to have a quick debate before one of them reached for the door handle.

"Attack!" Erza cried, leaping out of her tree.

"Huh?! Wait! It's me-"

"Rainbow Requip: Magenta Bazooka! Double Boom Doom!" Kiyo exclaimed, her weapon materializing in her grasp before shooting two rockets down at the intruders.

"Dark Ecriture: Reflect!" A familiar voice shouted, and a tune shield materialized overtop of the two figures.

"Freed?!" Erza gasped, stopping dead in her tracks.

"Hana!" Sierra exclaimed, racing out of the alleyway toward her friend.

"Man, you guys certainly know how to make a girl feel loved." Hana teased as the runes around her disappeared.

Sierra hugged her friend tightly, and Kiyo hastily joined them.

"We were so worried about you." the blonde stated. "How do you feel?"

"Not bad for someone who inhaled a toxic gas less than twenty-four hours ago." Hana replied. "What are you dorks up to?"

"Waiting for a thief, though we probably scared him and her off when we attacked you." Kiyo blushed. However, her eyes narrowed when she glanced at Freed. "Why is one of the Raijinshu with you?"

"He was my escort; I kinda got lost on the way here." Hana confessed sheepishly.

"Seriously? That's so funny!" Happy laughed, earning himself a deathglare from the she-dragon slayer.

"Didn't Mirajane give you a map?" Erza asked.

Hana bit her lip. "Um-"

"The directions were wrong." Freed lied quickly. "Mirajane messed them up on accident; she was probably multitasking and didn't notice."

Hana sighed in relief and flashed Freed a smile. However, Kiyo did not look amused.

"You couldn't have gotten a different guide?" she grumbled.

Freed's eyes narrowed. "Is there a problem, little girl?"

"Huh, maybe not all of Laxus's lackeys are idiots." Kiyo snapped back sarcastically.

"Uh, guys?" Lucy said, tapping Erza's shoulder. However, the redhead was focused on the argument occurring in front of her.

"I would stop if I were you. I don't play nice with people who insult my boss." Freed growled.

"Guys." Lucy repeated a little louder.

"You wanna go, Fido?" Kiyo spat back. "Let's go!"

"GUYS!!!!" Lucy shouted, causing everyone to stare at her.

"Lucy, no shouting! You'll alert the thief that we're here!" Happy scolded her.

"The thief already knows! Look!" Lucy exclaimed, pointing down the street, where dark silhouette was sprinting away as fast as its legs could carry it.

"Are you sure that's the thief?" Freed questioned.

"If he or she wasn't, why run away? Also, who else would be out in the middle of the night?" Gray answered, grinning from ear to ear as he sprinted after the thief.

"There was absolutely no fact behind that statement." Freed mumbled.

"If you don't like our decision, then stay here or go back to the guild. We're following our instincts." Kiyo scoffed before chasing after Gray with the others.

Freed rolled his eyes and sprinted after them. "Sorry kid, I don't trust you guys by yourselves."

"Then make sure you stay out of my way!" Kiyo warned him before dashing to the head of the group.

Freed frowned. What was her problem? Sure, they had fought the other day, but Hana and Sierra had already forgiven him. Why hasn't she? Was she even mad about yesterday or was it something else entirely?

\------------

The silhouette tried to shake its pursuers by racing through the woods, but the members of Fairy Tail were not so easily discouraged.

"Juvia thinks he is slowing down." Juvia told her fellow.

It was true; since they had started chasing him or her, the thief had slowed down considerably. However, something didn't seem right to Sierra. If she had been in the thief's place and was growing weary whilst being pursued, she would have started panicking and desperately searching for a way out. The thief, however, did not appear alarmed, rather as if he or she were just jogging casually in the park.

"There's something fishy going on. We need to be on our guard." She thought to herself.

"If we hurry and catch him, I bet we'll be able to get some sleep before the sun rises." Gray grinned, increasing his pace.

"Get him, Gray-sama!" Juvia cheered.

The thief had completely stopped now and just stood motionless as Gray raced toward him, preparing to pounce.

"That's definitely suspicious." Sierra started and called out to her guildmate, "Gray, don't!"

Unfortunately, she was too late. As Gray sprang into the air, a slim, black whip flew out of nowhere and struck him on the chest. The immense force behind the lash sent Gray flying backwards into a tree.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried in horror. Thrusting out her hand, she hastily fasted a spell. "Water Slicer!"

The blades of water immediately shredded the whip to bits, and the pieces fell lifelessly onto the ground. However, the thief dodged the attack with a simple, swift sidestep.

"Is that honestly the best you can do?" a familiar voice groaned as the figure turned to face them. "I can say that with Fairy Tail's reputation, I was expecting something a little more - exciting."

"Yang?!" Hana's eyes widened. "Wait, if Yang's here, then where's-" Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end as a faint whirring echoed behind her.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!!!" she screeched, diving onto the ground and flattening her body against the earth. The other members of Fairy Tail immediately followed her example and hit the dirt as well, and not a moment too soon as a giant beam of energy shot above their heads, burning a large hole in a nearby tree. Hana spun around to see Yin standing a few yards away, grinning madly with a laser cannon clutched tightly in his hands.

"You all are incredibly stupid." Yang lectured as he strode over to them and placed his foot on Gray's shoulder, pinning him against the large oak tree behind him. "Were any of you staying alert? We're any of you even slightly suspicious? No, and because of your naive behavior, you've fallen right into a trap." He turned away from them and toward a small collection of shrubs. "I'll admit it, boss, this plan of yours worked out better than I expected."

As Hana watched with wide eyes, another familiar face emerged from the brush, and her stomach dropped into the pit of her gut.

"Of course it succeeded. I'm your leader for a reason aren't I?" Solomon purred silkily. "Wolfgang, Sensus, Gadget, stop fooling around in those trees and get down here!"

Three figures, leaped from the tree, two men and a woman. Wolfgang flashed the group of wizards a cruel, Cheshire-like sneer while Sensus stood motionless in the shadows at the edge of the clearing, the woman, whom Hana assumed was Gadget, beside him. The two bore such an uncanny resemblance to each other that they had to be siblings.

"Did you miss us, Hana?" Wolfgang purred mockingly.

Gray's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You know these people?"

"Yes. They're the ones who captured Natsu and I and handed us over to Amazon Armor. Speaking of which, I thought they had you disposed of. How did you escape?" Hana said, dusting herself off as she rose to her feet.

"Simple. When your friends came looking for you, we snuck off while they battled the Amazon wenches." Wolfgang boasted, puffing out his chest pridefully.

Gray rolled his eyes. Of course it was their fault; it was always their fault.

"Well that was stupid and a waste of your energy. You should have just let the Amazons destroy you because now you have to deal with me without your magic." Hana growled threateningly.

"We may not have our magic, but Gadget has hers. That's all the magic we need to beat you." Solomon smirked. However, his face fell as he stared at something behind the group. Hana turned to look and nearly busted out laughing

"Gadget, my weapon is jammed again!" Yin exclaimed as he stared down into the barrel of the handheld laser cannon, banging on its side with his fist.

"You baka, you don't point a gun at your face, even if it's jammed!" his brother screeched as Solomon facepalmed and Wolfgang laughed like a hyena.

Rolling her eyes, Gadget walked through the group of Fairy Tail mages and snatched the gun from Yin. "It's not jammed. You just pressed on the trigger too hard and broke it." She grumbled, pointing to a button on the side of the gun. Waving her hand over it, she mumbled a few words, and the button popped back up.

"What kind of magic is that?" Lucy gawked.

"Building Magic. It allows the wielder to create things like weapons within seconds, as well as it can repair the creation, alter its structure or appearance, or make it disassemble instantly so it can't be used against the maker. It's a newer magic, so most mages who use it can't build anything like a house or ship yet, but small things like weapons are easy." Erza explained.

Lucy stared at her. "Where did you-"

"Mirajane." the redhead answered simply.

"So your big plan was to ambush us and attack us with magical weapons?" Freed summarized, looking bored. "Honestly, I was expecting something a little more impressive from the people who managed to capture Natsu." With a flick of his sword, the green-haired mage instantly conjured a cage of runes around Gadget. "There, I've cut off your only source of magic. Now what are you going to do?"

Solomon stared at Freed, his mouth agape and eyes wide.

"Sister!" Sensus cried in horror. Snatching some knives from his belt, he hurled them at Freed, who deflected the projectiles with ease.

"Focus on destroying their weapons first so they can't hurt you." He instructed. "After you have done that, take them down."

"I like the sound of that." Gray smiled. "Whoever takes down their opponent last has to clean Natsu and Happy's house!"

Everyone, even the people who had never been to the dragon slayer and exceed's home, shuddered.

Lucy hastily grabbed one of her keys. "Gate of the Scorpion, I open thee! Scorpio!"

"Aw, cummon, I was on a date with Aquarius." Scorpio whined.

"Uh, on second thought, I'll call Capricorn instead." Lucy said, shuddering at the thought of Aquarius being mad at her.

"Good idea. Later!" Scorpio called then vanished. Lucy immediately reached for another key when a hand rested on top of her own. She looked up to see Sierra smiling down at her kindly.

"Don't worry, I've got this." She purred as she held out one of her own keys. "Gate of the Nemean Lion, I open thee! Prince!"

Immediately, a man with gorgeous tan skin, long, unruly black hair, and mischievous dark eyes appeared, his long, white robes swaying slightly.

"Oi, what took you so long, Sierra?! I was starting to wonder if you were mad at me!" Prince cried whilst hanging onto his master's arm.

Sierra groaned. "Prince, I don't have time for your emotional teenage mood swings right now! I need you to take down that kid with the white-hair! He has a laser cannon, so Lucy and I can't get anywhere near him without risk of being hurt. As the only spirit I have that's invulnerable to physical attacks, I can't have anyone other than you do this."

"No one else...." Prince trailed off grinning. He leaned in close to Sierra's face. "You I'm basically your only hope?" he purred.

Sierra rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"I'll do it, but only if you say 'please' while batting your eyelashes at me." Prince grinned.

"Prince, you little-" Sierra grumbled but after a moment did as he said. "-Please?"

"Your wish is my command!" Prince exclaimed excitedly and sprinted toward Yin.

Yin yelped in surprise and fear and shot at the celestial spirit. The laser beam hit Prince square in the chest, but spirit didn't flinch or whimper. In fact, his skin wasn't even scratched, so the only evidence to Yin's attack was the hole in the Nemean Lion's clothes. Before his opponent could fire another attack, Prince snatched the laser cannon and hurled it onto the ground, causing it to shatter into a million pieces. Picking up Yin like he weighed as much as a feather, the celestial spirit threw the boy other his shoulder before proceeding to inspect the damage to his robes.

"Dang it! This outfit was brand new!" he whined when he noticed the large hole.

Meanwhile, Erza was taking on Wolfgang by herself. Grinning madly, the hulking man raised a large club above his head and bellowed excitedly.

"A club? How simple-minded and barbaric. Typical for a male." Erza muttered and leaped into the air as the man tried to crush her with the club. With one swing of her sword, she sliced the weapon neatly in half before delivering a strong kick to Wolfgang's jaw. Not giving him any time to recover, Erza's slashed at his legs, sweeping them out from underneath him, and landed on his stomach, pointing her sword at his throat.

"Rainbow Requip: Scarlet Shield and Pink Pistols Combo!" Kiyo cried, the weapons materializing in her hands as she dodged a shot from Yang's crossbow. Holding the shield out in front of her, she shot Yang in the hand, causing him to drop the crossbow, then charged, slamming the shield into the boy's chest and knocking the wind out of him. Yang tumbled backwards into the ground and didn't get up.

Now the only people left were Juvia and Gray battling Solomon while Freed and Hana handled Sensus. As Freed blocked another round of throwing knives, Hana scooped up some loose dirt and scarfed it down quickly before inhaling deeply.

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!" she called as a torrent of earth shot from her mouth, heading straight for Sensus. Dropping his weapon, he held out his hands as if preparing to cast a spell, but his already pale complexion turned ghostly as he remembered he couldn't use magic. With no way to protect himself, he was hit dead on by Hana's attacked and shot backward into a tree.

"What? Are we seriously the last ones?" Gray grumbled. "There's no way in heck that I'm cleaning Natsu's house!"

"I'll clean it for you, Gray-sama!" Juvia purred giddily.

"Alright, then let's finish this so we can head home and get some sleep." Gray said.

A light pink dusted Juvia's cheeks. "Gray-sama wants to go home and sleep with Juvia?" the girl gasped dreamily, her eyes sparkling.

"I didn't mean together!" Gray spat.

"Oh." Juvia sighed.

Using their distraction to his advantage, Solomon aimed his pistol at Juvia and shot.

"Juvia, look out!" Erza cried.

The bluenette's eyes widened in surprise and she looked down see the bullet passing harmlessly through her.

"Oh wait, that's right, her body is made up of water." Lucy said.

"Shooting at someone who isn't expecting it is low, but shooting at a woman who isn't expecting it is just plain shallow." Gray stated. "Ice-Make Lance!"

One of Gray's icy projectiles knocked the gun from Solomon's hand while the others pegged him by his clothes to a tree.

"Sensus!" Gadget cried. She began to pound on the walls of the rune cage. "Let me out!"

Freed glanced at Erza, who nodded, before releasing the girl from the runes. Gadget immediately draped her brother's arm around her shoulder and helped him stand.

"Gadget! Help us! Fight them!" Solomon ordered, pointing out the Fairy Tail wizards.

Gadget glared at him icily. "No. Sensus and I quit." she stated firmly. Pulling out a smoke bomb, she tossed it onto the ground, and the entire area around them was enveloped in fog. When it cleared, she and her brother were gone.

"Should we go after them?" Freed asked.

"No. I don't think they'll be any more trouble." Erza said whilst forcing Wolfgang to sit up so she could tie up his hands. "We'll drop these bozos off at the local prison, and the Magic Council can come pick them up in the morning. Then maybe we can all get some sleep."

"Mmmm, curling up in my sleeping bag sounds really nice right now." Kiyo purred, smiling blissfully.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. "Sleeping bag? Why would you be using a sleeping bag? I mean, it's not like you're sleeping outside, right"

"Uh, actually, that's exactly where we've been sleeping." Sierra blushed. "We're a little short on cash right now, so we are camping just outside of town until we make enough money to get an apartment."

Lucy stared at them, her mouth hanging open. "Are you crazy?! You don't have to do that! You can come stay with me until you get your own place."

"It's fine, Lucy. You don't have to-"

"You guys are staying with me. No more camping outside of town, understand?" Lucy said a little more firmly.

Sierra sighed. "Fine."

As the group forced the Reaping Crew to walk back to Magnolia, the blonde ambled at the back of the group with Yang.

"So you were the one watching me from across the street." Sierra stated simply.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Yang's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Don't play dumb. I saw you staring at me through the window from across the street earlier. Let me guess, you were coming to scout the area for your next raid when you saw my friends and I and decided to tell Solomon so he could come up with a plan to take us down." Sierra mused.

"I'm not playing dumb! I honestly have no clue what you're talking about! The first time I saw you and your friends was when you were arguing in front of the restaurant in the middle of the night. While you were chasing me, I contacted Solomon and the others using an earpiece Gadget designed for us so they could come up with a quick, last-minute plan. Check my ear if you don't believe me." Yang retorted.

Frowning, Sierra brushed back Yang's hair to see that there was in fact an earpiece in his ear.

"A last-minute plan, huh? No wonder it sucked." she mumbled distractedly.

"Like you could have done better." Yang scoffed.

However, Sierra didn't answer; she was too absorbed in her own thoughts. "If Yang wasn't the one watching me, then who....."


	10. Chapter 10

((WARNING: This chapter WILL make your brain hurt because of all the details I shall be cramming into it. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED))

The next morning at the guild, Lucy was laying her head face down on the bar, half asleep with a book in her hand, when a scream jolted her awake.

"YOU SAID WHAT?!?!" Kiyo screeched.

Gray groaned as his head throbbed painfully, "Hey, Kiyo, can you keep it down? I have a headache."

"NO!!! STAY OUT OF THIS!!!!" the girl snapped, her face red with rage. She then spun around on Hana, who cringed under her friend's harsh gaze.

"Why would you ever agree to train Laxus?! You know what he did to me!!!"

"I didn't have a choice, Kiyo. I'm really sorry." Hana whimpered.

"I don't want your apologies." Kiyo growled, her eyes narrow slits. "I want you to call off the deal."

"Kiyo, I can't do that!"

"Why not?!"

"It's not right!"

"So?! Laxus has done things far less righteous! He should get a taste of his own medicine!"

"He has changed! He isn't the same man that crushed your-"

"Don't say it!" Kiyo snarled, slamming her hands down onto the table in front of her. "What would Terran say if she could see you right now?"

"She would say that you're being a little brat who needs to get over herself, stop living in the past, and forgive people!" Hana snarled back.

"I can't forgive him! Not after what he did to me! You just don't understand." Kiyo grumbled.

Hana's temper flared. "I don't understand. I DON'T UNDERSTAND?! she roared. The anger radiating off of her was enough to send most of the guild scrambling for cover beneath tables or behind the bar.

"You know what, Kiyo? I don't understand; I don't understand how you can be so selfish! Yes, I get that Laxus hurt you, but guess what?! I've been hurt too, and you claiming that I don't know what it's like to be crushed really ticks me off!"

By now, Kiyo's entire body was trembling, not from fear, but from anger. "From this moment forward, I don't know you." she spat icily before storming off toward the door just as Laxus was entering the guild, flanked by the Raijinshu. "I hope you're happy." she hissed at Laxus as she passed him.

As she watched one of her friends leave, Sierra grabbed her key shaped like a caduceus and held it to her lips. "Hermes, please follow her." she whispered.

The key seemed to sparkle in response.

Laxus frowned in confusion, glancing at the people cowering under tables. "What the heck happened here?!"

Freed immediately noticed Hana leaning against a table, her head propped in her hand with a look of exhaustion painted on her face. Timidly, he walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

"Does it look like I'm okay?" she grumbled in response, glaring up at him, which causes him to shrink back. Sighing, the Earth Dragon Slayer rose stiffly to her feet. "Lets just get this over with. Follow me, Sparky." she said flatly, grabbing Laxus's hand and pulling him toward the door. However, she froze when she sensed they were being followed.

"Where do you think you're going?" She growled over her shoulder at the Raijinshu.

"With Laxus, of course!" Bickslow sang.

"Nuh uh, this is top-secret Dragon Slayer stuff. You can't come."

"What?!" The Thunder God Legion exclaimed in horror. Evergreen immediately sprint for the guildhall doors and blocked them with her body.

"You are not taking Laxus anywhere without us! Either we go or he doesn't." she snapped.

Hana's eyes narrowed at the other woman. "Move."

"No!"

"Knock it off, you three! If Laxus is Man enough, then he can handle things alone sometimes." Elfman shouted.

"You are not helping!" Evergreen screamed back at him.

From one of Sierra's keys, a whispering voice squeaked. "I ship it!"

((Happy: Keys can talk?!

Admin: HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?!?!))

With a sigh of annoyance, Laxus pinched the bridge of his nose. No matter what, his team wouldn't give up until they got their way, meaning the only way to end this conflict before it grew violent was to convince Hana, a dragon queen, to surrender. Yep, he was dead. "Hana," he stated, setting his large hand on her shoulder. "I've know these people for a long time; they won't tell anyone your secrets. Let them come."

Hana gave him the deathglare for several minutes before turning to the rest of the guild. "Would anyone else like to tag along as well?!" she exclaimed sarcastically.

At the other end of the guild, Gajeel began to hand when Levy cleared her throat.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't. Just don't." she warned him.

With a huff, Hana turned back to Laxus and the Raijinshu. "Come on. We've already wasted enough precious time. However, if any of you complain about the long walk, I WILL send you back!"

"Thank you, Hana." Freed purred, smiling.

For some reason, Hana's cheeks decided to turn pink against her will, and she couldn't bring herself to look Freed in the eye. "What the heck?!" she wondered. Hurrying toward the front of the group before anyone could notice her face, she slipped out the guild door and made a sharp turn, heading straight for the woods, the four other mages following right behind her. For a moment, the guild was peaceful, and Sierra decided to relax as she and Lucy sat at the bar. Then a loud rumbling echoed from the infirmary, catching everyone's attention.

"What's that?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Wait for me!!!!!" Natsu screamed as he raced into the room, knocking the infirmary door off of its hinges as he sped straight toward the guild doors. Unfortunately, Sierra and Lucy were in his path.

"Natsu! Watch where you're going!" Lucy screamed.

However, just as the pink-haired boy was about to collide with the two blondes, a bluish, silver light appeared in front of them, and a sandaled foot emerged to strike Natsu on the cheek, sending him flying into a table. When the light vanished, a woman with long black hair tied back in a braid and dark clothes was standing protectively in front of Sierra, a silver bow slung over her shoulder and a crossbow clutched in her right hand.

"Artemis?!" Sierra yelped. "What are you doing out?"

"Artemis?! She has Apollo AND Artemis?!" Lucy gawked.

Artemis glanced back at Sierra and sighed. "You forgot again, didn't you?"

"Huh?" Sierra's brows furrowed in cute confusion as she searched her mind for what Artemis was talking about. Was she forgetting someone's birthday? No. Had she forgotten to feed the plants? Nope, Hana had done that. Wait, she had remembered to brush her teeth, right?! Trying to be inconspicuous, Sierra raised her hand to her face, briefly cupping it over her mouth and nose so she could smell her breath. It was minty. "So what did I forg-That's it! Ugh, not again." Groaning, the blonde rested her head in her hand. "Oh my gosh, Artemis! I'm so sorry! I completely forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Lucy asked curiously.

Sierra blushed. "Oh, um, once a week, I treat one of my spirits to a day out with me. It's sort of my way of saying thank you for their hardwork and lets them know how much I appreciate them."

"That's so sweet of you!" Lucy squealed.

"Well, it's not so sweet when I constantly forget about it." Sierra muttered.

"It's alright, Master. You don't need to beat yourself up over it." Artemis said as she slid onto the spare stool next to Sierra. "I'm not mad."

"Well I am! Why do I keep forgetting?!"

"I believe your lack of sleep is to blame. You haven't had any proper rest or relaxation in a week." Suddenly, the Moon Goddess paled. "Crap, I sound like Hera!"

Sierra immediate burst into a fit of giggles, causing the goddess to smile.

"Well, you are of course welcome to stay. Unfortunately, I'm a little broke at the moment, so we can't do much. Sorry." the blonde apologized.

"It's fine; I prefer more down to earth things like training or nature walks anyways." Artemis replied, patting the girl's shoulder.

"As long as it's not another bear hunting trip, we can do whatever you like." Sierra replied, shuddering at the memory.

"You said you enjoyed that trip."

"I lied."

Lucy chuckled as she listened to the duo's conversation while reading her book at the same time.

"What are you looking at, Lucy?" Mirajane asked as she tried to peek at what the girl was reading.

"I'm still looking at different types of magic just in case my keys and I get separated and I have to protect myself or my friends." Lucy replied. "But it's proving to be harder than I thought it would."

"What about the Transformation magic I taught you?" Mirajane questioned, sounding a little hurt.

"Uh-it just wasn't a good fit. Sorry, Mira." Lucy apologized sheepishly. Her eyes continued to scan the page in front of her. "I just want something-unique, something most people wouldn't know about."

"Unique, you say?" Sierra interrupted. "Have you tried Star Incarnate?"

"Star what now?"

"Star Incarnate. It's a special type of magic, similar to Star Dress, that hasn't been used for a few hundred years, not counting Sierra of course. That being said, it is quite unique since almost everyone has forgotten about it." Artemis explained.

"That sounds perfect!" Lucy exclaimed. "Can you teach me?!"

"Of course! Let me just someone one of my minor spirits so we don't drain your magic-" Sierra began only to be silenced by Artemis.

"Of course. Now, just select one of your spirits and we'll get started." The goddess smiled.

Sierra's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes bugged out. She glanced at her spirit with a panicked, what-are-doing expression painted on her face. The goddess winked and mouthed 'Trust me.'

"Okay." Pulling out her key ring, Lucy proceeded to skim over them, trying to decide on whom to summon. Out of the blue, Capricorn's key began to shimmer a little brighter than the other keys. "I haven't taken him out in awhile. Alright, Gate of the Goat, I open thee! Capricorn!"

Instantly, the goat man appeared and bowed humbly. "You called, Miss Heartfilia?"

"Excellent! Capricorn's abilities will be the perfect base for you to build up from!" Artemis exclaimed.

Hearing his name, Capricorn turned and gasped in shock when he saw who was behind him. "L-L-L-Lady Artemis?" the Zodiac dropped respectfully down onto one knee. "Mighty goddess, I am not worthy of your praise. I am but a humble goat."

"Do not belittle yourself, Capricorn. You are a Zodiac; take some pride in that." Artemis chastised him gently.

"Yes, your highness."

"Now get up off the ground. You're dirtying your suit."

Capricorn looked down and realized she was right; the loose dust on the floor was sticking to his knees. Embarrassed, the celestial spirit quickly rose and brushed himself off.

Lucy bit her lip to keep from laughing at the flustered Capricorn. The poor thing didn't seem to know what to do with himself in the goddess's presence; his usual calm and collected attitude had completely vanished, replaced by a skittishness that didn't suit the hulking Zodiac. She was half tempted to tell him to calm down, but that would just embarrass him further. So, she said nothing.

"Mortal, do you know of someplace nearby that we can practice?" Artemis questioned Mirajane.

"She has a name, Artemis." Sierra mumbled. She loved Artemis dearly, but sometimes, the goddess came off as a little rude.

"There's a park nearby." Mirajane offered sweetly nonetheless.

"That will do. Thank you...."

"Mirajane."

"Thank you, Mirajane. Now, Lucy, let us go and turn you into an empowered young woman!"

Something about the way Artemis shouted those words made Lucy's stomach do flip flops. "Yay." She answered nervously.

\----------------

"When you said training, I didn't think you meant this." Lucy commented as she sat down on the checkered picnic blanket next to Capricorn.

"For the magic I'm going to be teaching you, your bonds with your spirits need to grow even stronger; they need to feel like family. Given that Capricorn is already so loyal to you, this shouldn't be hard." Artemis purred as she pulled a large bottle of champagne out of the picnic basket along with a tin of homemade cookies.

"So today's 'training' is just hanging out with one of my spirits all day so we get to know each other better? I'm loving this already." Lucy purred happily as she took a cookie and began to munch on it.

"Miss Lucy, don't eat too many of those. You need to watch your calories." Capricorn chastised her.

Lucy winced. "Or maybe not." She thought to herself.

"While we're relaxing, I'll explain the basics about Star Incarnate Magic. It is an older form of the magic Star Dress; I believe you have used that magic before. However, unlike Star Dress, where the spirit chooses when to bestow his or her magic power on the key holder, Star Incarnate allows the key holder to call upon the spirit's power when they need it, such as if he or she gets separated from the keys during battle. This is done by the spirit establishing a link to his or her magic source inside his or her master." Artemis drawled.

"That sounds like it would be useful! Why have I never heard of it before?" Lucy asked.

Artemis bit her lip and glanced at Capricorn.

"A few hundred years ago, the Celestial Spirit King had Star Incarnate erased from all records in this world." Capricorn explained calmly.

"Why?!"

"It was being misused and hurting us Celestial Spirits one way or another. I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get called on often." the goat man continued, sounding a little sad.

"Oh." Lucy's eyes shifted to her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap. "Capricorn, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

The Zodiac flashed her a weary smile. "I trust you, Lucy. You are not forcing me to do anything. I want you to be safe, and if using Star Incarnate is the way, then so be it."

Lucy's eyes teared up a little at his words, and she reflexively hugged the goat man. "Arigatou, Capricorn."

Artemis smiled at the duo. "Capricorn, do you trust Lucy?" Even though the goat had just stated that moments before, it was customary to ask this question during the Star Incarnate ceremony. It was the spirit's last chance to back out if he or she truly wasn't ready.

"Yes, I trust my master." Capricorn replied dutifully.

"Then you know what to do."

Standing, Capricorn held out his hand to Lucy, who gratefully took it and allowed the Zodiac to pull her to her feet.

"Will this hurt?" she asked nervously as the celestial goat grabbed her other hand as well.

"No. You may feel a little - odd during the process, but you will not be in pain." Capricorn replied, flashing her a wink, which Lucy of course couldn't see through his dark sunglasses. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and reached into the darkest crevice of his mind to retrieve the spell he has forced himself to forget.

For a few minutes, nothing happened, then suddenly, both Lucy and Capricorn began to glow a beautiful, stellar yellow. 

"Capricorn was right; this does feel weird." Lucy thought to herself. As the Zodiac's magic flowed into her body, she was filled with a sensation like tiny bugs crawling throughout her entire body. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't comfortable either. Lucky for Lucy, the light faded almost as quickly as it appeared, taking bizarre feeling with it.

"That's it?" She asked, sounding surprised. She had expected such a process to be more - complicated and time-consuming.

"Yep. That's it." Artemis replied.

"What are you waiting for? Try it out, Miss Heartfilia." Capricorn said, desperately trying to mask the strain in his voice, but Lucy still heard it. Turning, she stared up at the goat man. He was slouching, and dark bags hung beneath his eyes.

"I'll do it later. Right now, you need to return to the Celestial Spirit world and rest; you're obviously exhausted."

Capricorn smiled weakly as his image began flickering. "You are very kind, Miss Lucy. Thank you." After that, he was gone.

\----------------

Meanwhile, several miles away, Hana stopped at a large clearing in the woods and used her senses to scan the surrounding area for human life. Nothing.

"This place is sufficient. We'll train here." She announced to those following her.

Bickslow and Evergreen immediately collapsed onto the dirt ground, sighing in relief.

"Finally." Evergreen muttered.

Hana glared back at them. "Is that complaining, I hear?"

"No ma'am!" The two chorused.

Hana smirked with satisfaction. "That's what I thought." she stated before slowly easing herself onto the hard ground. "Now get over here. I don't have all day."

Groaning, Bickslow and Evergreen dragged themselves over and plopped down once more onto the ground while Laxus and Freed sat cross-legged in front of the dragon woman.

"I thought you said we were going to train?" The blonde mage grumbled.

"We are, but first, I need to teach you the basic background knowledge of my magic to ensure you don't wind up killing yourself on accident. The more you interrupt me, this longer this will take. Anymore questions?" Hana replied, her eyes glaring up at Laxus challengingly.

Laxus rolled his eyes, but other than huffing in annoyance, he was silent."

"Good. I will warn you, since you're a Second Generation slayer rather than a First or Third Generation one, these skills may be harder for you to learn. However, it is not impossible. Now, Dragon Queen, or rather King in your circumstances, magic of course starts with the dragons." Hana began as she drew a large pyramid in the dirt before her. "Amongst dragons, there was an ever changing ladder of power and authority upon which every dragon was ranked. If one dragon surpassed another dragon in multiple ways, his rank would become higher. My dragon, Terran, was at the top of the ladder, making her the Dragon Queen-"

A loud snore cut Hana off.

"Will you pay attention and stop interrupting me?!" the woman shrieked at Evergreen and Bickslow, who were fast asleep.

Laxus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just continue. I'll deal with them later."

Hana sighed. "Fine. Now where was I? Oh, right! Most dragons saw the rankings as unfair, but in all honesty, the system was designed to protect them. The dragons at the top of the ranks, especially the Dragon Queen, were responsible for protecting their brethren using the strength, skills, and wisdom they had acquired in order to gain their position. When we dragon slayers came into existence, this system was passed down to us, and as Terran's child, I was automatically selected to inherit the role of the Dragon Queen-"

"This is all fascinating, but you still haven't explained the magic itself." Laxus remarked.

"-I was just getting to that before you INTERRUPTED ME AGAIN!!!" Hana exclaimed in frustration as the hair on the back of her neck bristled.

Laxus shrank back. "Sorry, just curious."

Hana groaned, rubbing her temple to try and soothe her growing headache.

"She stills seems extremely tense. Perhaps we shouldn't have done this today." Freed thought to himself, frowning. "Hana, if this is too much for you right now, we can reschedule."

"No, no, it's fine. I'm just-it's complicated." the brunette replied as she moved her hands to her neck, where she had a large knot. As her fingers brushed lightly against it, the knot throbbed sharply, causing her to hiss in pain.

"Hana, are you hurt?" Laxus asked, beginning to rise.

"Sit down, Sparky. It's just a darn knot." 

"A knot?" Laxus's gaze immediately snapped to Freed. "Hey Freed, you're good at massages. Go give Hana a hand."

"Huh?! M-M-Me?!?!" Freed yelped as his face turned red.

"Yes you. Get your butt over there and help the woman." Laxus repeated.

"Y-Y-Yes sir." Freed mumbled, hanging his head so his hair would hide his flushed cheeks. Hurrying over to Hana, his heartbeat doubled as he sat down behind her. Something about being ask to touch this woman's neck made him feel-well, he wasn't sure. Nervous perhaps? 

"Freed, what's taking so long?!?! The woman's in pain!"

"Sorry, Laxus!" Freed squeaked. Timidly, he brushed Hana's silky hair to the side, exposing the beautiful cocoa skin of her neck to the light. With a sheepish gulp, the man placed his hands on Hana's skin, feeling for the knot, and once he found the spot, he began to massage the tissue gently. A loud sigh from Hana sent relief washing over Freed in waterfalls, and he couldn't help but smile as the knot dissipated beneath his fingertips.

"Your body is so tense, Hana. You need to relax." he scolded her gently as his expertly-trained hands slid down to her shoulders to relieve them as well.

"Is that so?" Hana said, smiling as a sweet peace filled her body.

"Yes. Even the Dragon Slayer Queen needs to rest."

"Understood. Arigatou, Freed." Hana purred. "Now, as I was saying, I was selected for the role of Dragon Slayer Queen, meaning my training was a little more extreme than the others. In order to grant me vaster periods of combat training, time used to learn other basic skills had to be sacrificed."

Freed nearly choked on those words. " 'Time used to learn other basic skills had to be sacrificed.' That must be why she can't read or write like Natsu, Wendy, or Gajeel! In order to resume her responsibility as the Dragon Slayer Queen, she had to sacrifice those luxuries." Guilt immediately swelled in the pit of Freed's stomach. "And I was shallow enough to use that sacrifice against her. Baka!"

"Well, it would seem your training worked. You far surpass all the other dragon slayers I know of."

Hana blushed. "You're too kind. However, you've only scratched the surface." She said, her eyes twinkling.

"Oh?"

"I'm sure you've realized that a dragon slayer can adapt himself or herself to the abilities of others, correct? Well, while a normal dragon slayer can only adapt to a certain amount of other slayers' abilities, my body is cable of holding double to triple that amount, as well as I can use far more of these adaptions at once then others."

"Triple?!" Laxus's and Freed's jaws dropped as they tried to imagine the immense amount of power Hana was talking about. When she fought them, she hadn't even used a quarter of her magic power. The thought was somewhat humbling but also terrifying.

Hana smiled at their reactions. "Our training together will consist of increasing your capacity for other slayer magics, as well as strengthening the power of your own abilities. Since dragon lacrimas have set limit, you're at slight disadvantage, but we'll work around it. All I have left is one question: are you ready to do this, whatever it takes?"

Laxus nodded. "If something happens to you, there needs to be someone to assume responsibility. I am ready to be that someone."

"Good, then you won't complain when I do this."

"Do what-" Laxus began but was cut off when Hana sprang forward with catlike reflexes and slammed her fist into his jaw. Falling backwards, the blonde tried to sit up, but Hana easily pinned his hands to the ground and dug her knees into his stomach, earning a gasp from the trapped mage.

"Laxus!" Freed cried in horror, reaching for his sword. 

"What's going on?" Evergreen murmured, rubbing her eyes as she and Bickslow sat up. The noise must have interrupted their nap. When they saw Hana on top of their leader, they immediately yelped. "Laxus!" they repeated, preparing to attack.

However, despite being pinned down, Laxus raised his hand. "Don't."

The Raijinshu gaped. "But-"

"I said don't! Do you not have faith in me?"

Laxus's posse hung their heads.

"That's what I thought. If I never get beat up then how am I going to build up endurance and get stronger? This is just one trial of many that I'll have to overcome. Now make sure you don't get in my way!" Laxus bellowed before slamming his head against Hana's. The Dragon Slayer Queen's grip weakened slightly, giving Laxus the opening he needed. Shoving her roughly across the clearing, he jumped to his feet and inhaled deeply. "Roar of the Lightning Dragon!" he yelled before shooting a wave of lightning at his opponent.

Unfortunately for Laxus, Hana was ready for him. As the lightning shot toward her, she opened her mouth and gulped it down without a problem.

"She adapted her body to my magic that quickly?!" Laxus's eyes widened in shock.

"Roar of the Earth Lightning Dragon!" Hana shouted with a smirk as she spat the combined magic at the blonde.

As he watched the projectile race toward him, one word crossed Laxus's mind. "Crap."

\-----------------

"Artie, you don't have to do this. It's you day off-"

"Nonsense. I will not have someone as fragile as you breaking your back carrying these boxes while I idly sit by. My strength far surpasses yours." Artemis stated as she carried one of said boxes up to Lucy's apartment.

"These boxes aren't that heavy. Hana, Kiyo, and I don't exactly have much." Sierra replied before adding under breath, "And I'm not fragile."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Lucy smiled at the two girls as they entered her apartment. "Is that the last of it?"

"Yep." Sierra replied as she and Artemis set down the last two boxes.

"Good. Now, while you start unpacking, I'm gonna head downstairs and get the spare keys from my landlady. Brb!" Lucy said cheerfully before skipping off.

Smiling as Lucy's contagious good attitude permeated her system, Sierra opened the first box to find a picture of her and Karen staring up at her.

"You need to be more careful." Artemis stated as she gazed over her master's shoulder. "Your lies have gotten sloppy lately, and you've been acting extremely suspicious. Lucy's a smart girl; if you don't clean up your act, she will figure you out."

"I know, I know. I just got excited, that's all. I mean, after years of searching, I finally found him-"

"And if you don't shape up, you'll lose him just as fast. Or worse, he will find him."

Sierra gulped. Right, there was him; if he found out Leo was here, disaster would be inevitable. 

"You need to get yourself under control, understand? Just because you succeeded at locating that pesky lion doesn't mean everything going to peaches and cream from here on out."

"Peaches and cream? Artie, sometimes I forget how old you actually are." Sierra laughed.

Artemis tried not to smile. "You're lucky I like you, kid."

"I know." Sierra said as she dumped out the remaining objects in her box. "I promise , I'll be more careful-"

"Sierra, what's that?" Lucy asked from the doorway, pointing at Karen's picture sitting on her bed.

"Oh, I totally believe you." Artemis mumbled sarcastically.

((Admin: And, done!

Happy: I thought you said it was gonna be longer!

Admin: I know, I know, but I've already killed their brains. If I make this chapter any longer, they won't remember any of the important stuff about to unfold. Don't worry though; the stuff I cut from this chapter will be in the next one. Just be patient.

Happy: *grumbles* But I don't wanna be patient.

Admin: *sighs* Sorry for frying you brains, everyone. Enjoy!))


	11. Chapter 11

"Sierra, what's that?" Lucy asked from the doorway, pointing at Karen's picture sitting on her bed.

"Oh, I totally believe you." Artemis mumbled sarcastically.

After shooting her spirit a glare, Sierra flashed Lucy a sheepish smile. "What do I say? What do I say?!"

"What's what?" she finally blurted out, shoving the picture beneath her other positions.

"Wow, real smooth." Artemis mumbled, smirking.

Lucy frowned. "Sierra, don't blame dumb with me. What did you just hide?"

"Uh-it's nothing! Don't worry about it, Lucy!"

"She isn't buying it." Artemis sang as she observed Lucy's suspicious expression.

"Really? Okay. If it's nothing to worry about, then you won't mind showing me what it is?"

"She's good."

"Shut up, Artie." Sierra whispered irritably. She turned to Lucy with a huff. "If it's nothing to worry about, you don't need to see it. You have your things that you like to keep private, and I have mine."

For a moment, it appeared that Lucy was going to protest, but in the blink of an eye, her demeanor changed. Her shoulders sagged, and the fight seemed to drain out of her. "That's true I guess-"

Sierra sighed in relief.

"Wait for it." Artemis smiled to herself.

"-but I need to know!" As if flicking on a switch, Lucy's energy returned, and she sprinted toward the bed and snatched up the picture frame. "Haha, one point Lucy, zero points Sierra." she chanted as she hugged the picture to her chest.

"Lucy, give it back!" Sierra whined, lunging clumsily at the blonde.

Lucy sidestepped with ease. "Oh, come on, Sierra! Whatever it is, it can't be that bad-" her voice broke off when she looked down to find the face of none other than Karen Lilica staring up at her. "-Sierra, why do you have a picture of Karen Lilica?"

Artemis frowned when she noticed the sweat dripping down her master's face. Had she let things go to far? Probably. Should she have intervened? Most likely. However, if she tried to save Sierra now, Lucy's suspicions would just grow.

"Sorry, master. I can't help you with this one." 

Sierra gulped nervously and began to play with her hands. "Well-I-you see..." As she stuttered like a complete idiot, thousands of ideas swirled about in her head. "What do I say?! What do I say?!"

"And who's the little girl in the picture? Is that you?" Lucy asked as she peered at the other person in the photo who was literally hidden in Karen's shadow.

And that's when it came to her. "Y-Y-Y-Yeah, that's me. My family and I were passing through a town when we bumped into her, and when I asked for a picture with her, she was happy to oblige. She was a bit of a camera hog though." Sierra fibbed.

"I can tell." Lucy chuckled. "Why did you want a picture with her though?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Sierra sighed. "Well, she was kind of my inspiration and idol growing up. I really looked up to her and her work."

"Oh, that's-cool." Instinctively, Lucy's hand slipped into the pocket with her key ring and wrapped tightly around Aries's and Leo's keys. A fan of Karen's? Perhaps asking Sierra to live with her wasn't such a good idea. The fact that she had tried to hide the picture didn't make Lucy feel any better: "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I-uh, I-"

Suddenly, a great gush of wind whipped through the room, and in the blink of an eye, Hermes was perched in the window, panting heavily. "Boss, we've got a big problem! Kiyo took a request beyond her skill set and is doing it by herself!"

\-----------------

"Wing Slash of the Lightning Dragon!"

"Tail Slash of the Earth Dragon!"

Laxus grunted as he was slammed against yet another tree, creating a large indent in the bark. However, having no time to recover, he rolled out of the way just before Hana's foot could nail him in the face. As the bark splintered beneath her step, the Dragon Queen ricocheted off of the trunk, sailing straight for Laxus as he stumbled to his feet. Fortunately for him, he had a plan. As the woman rocketed toward him, he held out his arms and caught her, grunting as she hit him full force. Using her momentum against her, he swung his arms in a large loop, releasing Hana at after turning her 270 degrees and sending her crashing face first into the dirt. Before she could get back up, Laxus pinned her down, holding her arms tightly behind her back with one massive hand and pushing her head down into the dirt with the other.

"Had-enough-yet?" He gasped between heavy pants.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the clearing, Freed frowned as he watched the two fight. When Hana hit the ground, his heart nearly stopped and he barely suppressed his urge to run over to her and inspect her for injuries. "What is going on with me?! Where is this coming from?!" In all honesty, he was quite concerned about the matter. The sensations he was feeling were completely new to him, and he wasn't sure if he liked them. "This isn't like me. Why is this happening?!" Seeing Laxus pinning Hana down didn't help his issues at all; in fact, it made them much worse. "Get off of her!" his mind screamed as it tried to telekinetically shove Laxus away. "Don't touch her like that-What the heck am I saying?! What's wrong with me?!" Ashamed, Freed lowered his eyes and continued to read his book. He had brought a couple along to assist him with teaching Hana when she and Laxus finally stopped sparring. When that would be, he wasn't sure. The two dragons had been wrestling for a few straight hours and neither one seemed especially tired. Unless something happened, their match would continue for hours to come.

And something did happen. Suddenly, Hana's eyes rolled back in her head and her body went limp. Laxus immediately panicked.

"Hana? HANA?!" he exclaimed, shaking her violently.

Freed's stomach dropped when he heard Laxus's distressed cries. "Hana!" Leaping to his feet, he sprinted the woman's side. "Laxus, what happened?! What did you do?!"

"I-I don't know!" the blonde stuttered in response as he stared down at his hands in horror. 

"Let me see." Freed ordered, gently but firmly shoving his boss aside and hovering over Hana. Instinctively, he grabbed her arm to check her pulse, but in a flash, Hana's eyes flew open and she flipped Freed over onto his back, smirking as she pinned him down. However, her smile was quickly replaced by confusion as she stared down at the green-haired boy. 

"Freed?" 

Freed's cheeks turned the color of cherries as he stared up at Hana in surprise. The sun shining behind her gave her skin a warm glow, and the baffled expression on her face was adorable to say the least. Freed's mind told him to shove her away and retreat back to the other side of the clearing, but something else deep inside him ordered him to stay put. As the two voices argued inside his head, poor Freed could only stare awkwardly up at Hana, his body completely frozen.

Fortunately for him, Laxus unintentionally came to his rescue before anyone could make assumptions.

"What the heck was that?!" he roared angrily, grabbing Hana by the arm and yanking her to her feet. "I thought I actually hurt you!"

"Laxus, please calm down-" Freed stated, rising gracefully to his feet.

"Freed, stay out of this!"

Hana scowled. "You shouldn't yell at him. He did nothing wrong-"

"Spare me the righteous act! That was a dirty trick! You're supposed to play fair-"

"The enemy doesn't fight fair, Laxus! I can't train you properly if you expect me to play nice." Hana stated before yanking free from his viselike grasp. An angry red bruise glared up at her. "I think we've trained enough for today."

Laxus wanted to protest but the guilt gnawing at his gut kept him jaw shut, and awkward silence clung to the air. Even Evergreen and Bickslow, who were oh so innocently hurling pebbles at a squirrel in a nearby tree, shuddered as the tension slithered up their spines.

"Perhaps we should start with your lessons, Hana." Freed mumbled in an attempt to ease the pressure, holding out his hand.

A bright, excited sparkle filled Hana's eyes, but she forced herself to remain composed, which was easier said than done. "I'm finally going to get to read! Terran would be so proud of me..." Her smile wavered. "But her secrets were the price-maybe she wouldn't be so proud of me after all."

"Why doesn't she seem happy? Is she still upset?" Freed frowned as his guilt returned. Sheepishly, he took Hana's hand and guided her over to the spot on the grass where he had the books set up. Pulling her down beside him, he placed one of the books in her lap and opened to the first page. "I thought we would start simply today and just have you learn the alphabet. Your lesson today is learning the letters and their sounds and writing them out."

"This is the alphabet? It's huge!" Hana groaned. "I'll never be able to memorize this!"

Freed chuckled, earning a glare from the Dragon Queen. "It's not as bad as you think; just take it slow and start with the first letter. We still have plenty of time, and whatever you don't finish, we'll start back up with tomorrow, okay?" he said, holding out a pencil and some paper for her.

"O-O-Okay." Hana replied, gently taking the materials. However, when her hand briefly brushed against his, a sensation like an electric shock ripped through her, causing her to jump back with a yelp.

"What's wrong?" Freed asked.

"You just shocked me!" 

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did!" Hana exclaimed. "Unless he did something." She shot a glare at Laxus.

"It was probably just a little static electricity." Freed replied. "Now, are we starting your lesson or what?"

"Right, sorry." Hana said, turning back to her book and papers. However, after staring at the first letter for a moment, she frowned. "Freed, how do I draw this?"

Frowning, Freed looked at the book and sighed. "Like this." Grabbing a stick, he slowly traced the letter in the dirt. Hana tried to copy his movements but failed; her symbol looked like a bunch of childish squiggles on a paper

"Mine doesn't look right."

Glancing at her, Freed rolled his eyes. "That's because you're holding the pencil wrong."

"Oh....."

"You need help, don't you."

"Yes."

Groaning in annoyance, Freed shuffled over to her and sat behind her. "Like this." he huffed, grabbing her hand and adjusting the pencil in her grasp.

Again, when Freed touched her, Hana felt a warm spark shoot through her, but given that her teacher appeared to be quite annoyed with her already, she didn't mention it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Freed answered dully. "Now, let's try this again." Not letting go of Hana's hand, Freed guided her movements as she drew the letter. Although the lines were somewhat shaky, the second attempt bore a much more similar to the actual letter than the first. "Better?"

"Better." Hana grinned.

"Great, now you try it on your own." Freed stated, moving his hand away.

"Alright." Although she sounded unsure, Hana began to sketch the letter on her own, biting her lip as she concentrated, and she squealed excitedly when she successfully replicated the letter. "I did it! I did it!"

Freed chuckled at Hana's childlike excitement, but he wasn't one to judge. "Good, now draw it again."

Hana's face fell. "Why? Isn't that good enough."

"It's good, but your penmanship is still sloppy. Plus, you won't remember any of the letters very well if you only write each one three times."

Hana looked down at her paper, and her lips curved into a frown. "Fine." she grumbled. "How many more times?"

"Twenty."

"Twenty?!"

"Yes, and as you're writing, I want you orally repeating the name of the letter and the sound it makes."

"That's too much to do! I'll forget something!"

"Hana, you can do it; I believe you can. Just try it. You don't have to learn the entire alphabet in one day."

"He-He believes in me?" Something about those words made Hana feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and her cheeks turned a shade of rose that complemented her cocoa skin nicely. "I-I-I'll try." she stuttered.

Evergreen's curious ears picked up on the nervous tone of Hana's voice, and when she noticed the color flooding to the girl's face, a knowing smirk danced onto her lips. "Oh this is rich." 

Bickslow frowned when he noticed Evergreen's smile. "Ever, are you okay? I don't like that face you're making-"

"Yea, I'm fine! Now shh!" Evergreen hastily shushed him as she watched the scene before her.

Slowly, Hana rewrote the one letter over and over, reciting its name and sound as she worked, and Freed couldn't help but smile at the cute, determined faces she made as she concentrated. 

"Is this good?" she finally asked, holding up the page for her teacher to see.

Freed nodded. "Much better. You're a quick learner."

Hana beamed at his praise.

"Alright, on to the next letter now-"

Suddenly, a wind gust of wind whipped through the clearing, scattering Hana's papers and whipping everyone's hair back and forth. When it died down, Hermes stood panting in the middle of the clearing.

"Hermes! Look what you did!" Hana snapped angrily.

"I'm sorry, but we've got a big problem! Kiyo's in trouble!" Hermes exclaimed.

"Kiyo?" Hana's heart stopped. "Where is she?!"

Gasping, Hermes held out a flier, which Hana hastily snatched away. "Hermes, I can't read this!"

"I've got it." Freed said, taking the piece of paper and reading over it. His already pale skin turned ashen. "This isn't good."

"What does it say?!" Hana demanded as her heart pounded in her ears.

"It's a request from a nearby town asking for someone to remove a dark guild that has taken over and is terrorizing the people."

"She took that request?! By herself?!" Hana shrieked.

"Sierra, Lucy, Artemis, Natsu, Erza, and Gray are already on their way, so we need to hurry if we want to meet up with them." Hermes stated.

"We?" Evergreen asked.

"Yes, Kiyo's going to need as much help as she can get." Hermes stated. "Please?"

"Absolutely not! That little girl is a rude little brat! We are NOT helping her." Evergreen scoffed, crossing her arms. "Right, guys?"

When Freed noticed Hana's face fall, and his heart sank. Realizing what he had to do, he sighed and replied, "Wrong."

"Excuse me? What did you just say?"

"I said you're wrong, Evergreen, because I'M going to help." Freed stated simply. "None of you have to come with me if you don't want to, but the company would be appreciated."

Bickslow and Evergreen immediately looked to Laxus, who appeared deep in thought.

"She's family," he finally decided, "and we're supposed to protect our family, even if we don't like them."

"But-" Evergreen tried to argue.

"We're going. End of discussion." Laxus stated firmly, shooting Evergreen a glare, silently challenging her to argue with him and see what would happen.

"Fine." She grumbled, folding her arms. "but I'm doing this for you, not her."

Hana couldn't help but smile. "Arigatou." she said, surprising Laxus with a hug. 

The big man's muscles tensed at the unexpected contact, and his cheeks flushed pink. "T-T-There's no need for that." He stuttered, gently shoving the woman away.

Disappointment and jealously bubbled up in Freed's stomach until Hana suddenly spun around and hugged him as well. "Arigatou." she whispered in his ear, sending shivers up his spine as heat raced to his cheeks.

"Yeah yeah, this is extremely touching and all, but we need to go NOW!" Hermes exclaimed as his foot tapped impatiently. "Kiyo's life is kind of at stake here!"

Freed's urge to scold the celestial spirit for interrupting the moment was strong, but as he opened his mouth, Hana removed her arms from around him and stepped back.

"Right, right. I'm sorry, Hermes. Let's go." she stated.

"Finally!" the god grumbled before scooping Hana up bridal style. The Dragon Slayer Queen squeaked in surprise, and Freed's blood boiled.

"What are you doing?!" Hana stuttered with rosy cheeks.

"You can't fly, and walking will take too long. So I'm going to carry you." 

"Laxus can't fly either! What about him?!" Hana argued desperately. She didn't enjoy being held this way; it made her feel like a helpless damsel, which she most certainly was not.

"Yo, Knight Dude! Do you have enough of your little doll doohickeys to carry yourself and your buddy?" Hermes asked Bickslow.

"They're not doohickeys; they're my babies." Bickslow stated. "And of course I do!"

"Of course he does! Of course he does!" his little dolls sang as they lifted their master and Laxus into the air.

"Great! Now try to keep up!" Hermes chirped and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

"Which way did he go?" Evergreen exclaimed, her eyes scanning the horizon.

"That's not fair! How are we supposed to keep up if the guy moves at the speed of sound?" Bickslow complained. "Now we have no clue where to go-"

"Port Highland. We need to go to Port Highland." Freed stated calmly.

"How do you know that?!" Bickslow exclaimed. "Did you read his mind or something?"

"No, Bickslow, I merely read the flier." Freed grunted, waving the piece of paper the god had left behind back and forth.

"Oh, that makes sense." Bickslow smiled.

"Makes sense. Makes sense." His dolls repeated.

"We should hurry after them otherwise we'll miss the fight." Freed stated as he folded up the paper and slid it into his pocket before extending his purple and black wings. "I also need to catch that imp of a god and have a few words with him." He thought to himself, but he dared not say such a thing aloud.

"Race you there!" Bickslow sang, rocketing through the air on his dolls with Laxus right behind.

"Bickslow, wait! Slow down-" Laxus shrieked, but by then it was too late. The dragon slayer's motion sickness kicked in, and with a loud groan, he slapped his hand over his mouth to keep from vomiting.

\-------------

As Lucy and company neared the town of Port Highland, which oddly enough was located on a group of cliffs nowhere near the water, the only shrieking they heard was the shrill squawking of some birds in a nearby tree.

"Are we at the right place?" she wondered aloud. "Did we make a wrong turn?"

Suddenly, a loud BOOM ripped through the air, followed by the screaming of frightened civilians.

"Does that answer your question?" Erza replied.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept over them, and Hermes stood before them with Hana in his arms. Right behind them were Bickslow and a greenish-looking Laxus, followed by Freed and Evergreen.

"Aw, has the fun already started without us?" Bickslow whined childishly.

"That's what you're worried about?!" Lucy exclaimed in exasperation as another explosion shook the ground beneath their feet.

Meanwhile, as soon as his feet touched the ground, Freed immediately approached Hermes as he set Hana down. Although he appeared calm on the outside, an angry fire burned inside him. The entire flight to the town, he had carefully organized what he was going to say so he didn't explode at the god but still got his point across.

"You shouldn't have run like that with a dragon slayer." He stated firmly once he was within earshot. "They are quite susceptible to motion sickness; you could have made her ill."

"Is that so? She seemed fine to me." Hermes sneered.

"Hermes, don't tease him! It's kind to show concern for your teammates." Hana scolded the god, slapping him lightly upside the head before approaching Freed. "I'm okay though, so you don't need to worry. I have a few tricks I've picked up over the years." she winked at him.

Freed's heart skipped a beat, and he hastily turned away before Hana could see his red cheeks. "What is going on with me?" he wondered. "If you say so. However, you still shouldn't be so careless, Hermes." He snapped, narrowing his eyes at the god, who held up his hands in mock surrender. Little did Freed know that Evergreen had watched the entire scene, a smile blossoming on her lips.

"This is rich." she thought to herself. "This is extremely rich."

"Natsu, can you locate Kiyo using her scent?" Sierra asked.

"Yeah, just give me a minute."  Natsu stated, sniffing at the air. Almost immediately, he took off in a sprint. "This way!"

"Wait for us, you baka!" Gray shouted, but the pink-haired pyrokinetic had already disappeared amongst the brick houses.

As she hastily analyzed the situation, Sierra spun around as her leadership instincts kicked in and began barking orders. "Gray, Erza, and Happy, go after him! The rest of us will handle the dark guild and civilians."

Gray glared at her. "Why can't Hermes do it?"

"Because Hermes's job is to get the civilians to safety."

"How are we supposed to know which way he went?!"

"Oi, get outta my way!" Natsu's voice exclaimed from somewhere northwest of the group.

"He went that way, Now stop arguing with me and go!"

Gray opened his mouth, but before he could fire another snide remark, Erza grabbed him by the ear and began dragging him down the street as he whimpered in pain.

Satisfied, Sierra turned to Hermes, "Hermes-"

"Already heard you loud and clear. How far away do you want me to take them?" Hermes asked.

"Half a mile at least. Things are definitely going to get messy around here, and I want them out of the way." Sierra explained. "Once you have done that, you are to return home and get some rest."

Hermes's eyes widened, "But Sierra, I can help fight too-"

"That's an order, Hermes. You'll be exhausted by the time you get the entire town to safety; I don't want you pushing yourself."

"But-"

"Do as she says, Hermes. I promise I'll protect her." Artemis stated.

At first, the god didn't want to agree, but he slowly nodded his head, surrendering to Sierra's will. "You better, Artemis." he stated before racing into the town.

"Does anyone else want to argue with me?" Sierra asked challengingly.

No one said a word.

"Good, we can get something done then. While Kiyo is our first priority, we need to get rid of this dark guild as well. Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Happy will cover the north side of the town. Laxus, you, Freed, and Hana take the west side of the town. Evergreen and Bickslow, you two go to the south, and myself, Lucy, and Artemis will remain here in the east quadrant. Don't let a single member escape you, and please try to destroy as little of the town as possible."

Everyone chuckled at her last sentence.

"We'll try, but no promises!" Bickslow smirked as his dolls once again raised him into the air. "I bet I'll beat more bad guys than you, Ever!" he chanted as he was carried off toward the south side of the town.

"Bickslow, you are such a child sometimes." Evergreen shot back as she flew after him.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay here with you?" Hana asked Sierra, glancing at Lucy uncertainly before locking eyes with her friend, a silent message passing between them. "Are you sure it's okay for me to leave you alone with her?"

"I'll be fine, Hana. Go with Laxus and Freed." Sierra answered, smiling warmly as she patted her friend's shoulder. 

As she spun on her heels and headed into the city with Laxus and Freed close behind, Hana forced down her growing worry for Sierra's safety. Yes, she had Artemis and her other keys, but Lucy had something that could defeat her instantly. If she decided to turn on her friend, she would be in deep trouble. "You better stay safe, Sierra, otherwise I'll save you only so I can kick your butt myself!" she thought to herself.

As the last group left, Lucy reached for her keys only to be stopped by Sierra grabbing her hand. She frowned up at the other blonde. "Hey, what's the big idea?"

"Lucy, this is the perfect opportunity for you to test out your new Star Incarnate magic!" 

"But I haven't had any practice yet!" Lucy protested.

"You'll do fine! It's not as hard as it looks-"

"No!" Lucy shouted angrily, stomping her foot and making Sierra jump. "I don't know what your deal is with not wanting me to use my keys, but I've had enough. I'm calling one of my spirits, END OF STORY!" Ripping her hand from Sierra's grasp, she hastily snatched up one of her keys and held it out. "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Leo-"

However, before she could finish, something exploded behind them, and the three girls went flying.

\------------------

"Sparky, watch your right flank!" Hana barked as another half dozen dark mages charged at Laxus. The Lightning Dragon Slayer immediately spun on his heels and knocked them back, activating one of Freed's traps and imprisoning them. 

"Freed, how many have we stopped so far?" Laxus shouted at his accomplice.

Grunting, Freed spun his opponent around and kicked him into another trap before responding, "Forty-one."

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!" Hana shouted and sent nine more enemies soaring through the air. "Make that fifty!"

"And how many members does this guild have?"

"Two-hundred fifty two."

"Great." Laxus muttered sarcastically. "Well, at least all the civilians are gone-"

The loud shriek of a child cut him off.

"Are you kidding me?!" Laxus shouted at no one in particular.

Hana's cocoa complexion turned ashy. "That was Kiyo's scream!" Immediately, she whirled around and raced in the direction from which the scream had come.

"Hana, wait!" Freed exclaimed, chasing after her, but he wasn't fast enough. Hana ran straight into one of his traps and slammed into a wall of runes.

"Crap! Freed, get me outta here please! Laxus, go help Kiyo!" Hana ordered.

Both Laxus and Freed wondered if Hana had hit her head a little too hard when she had crashed into the magical wall, but the look on her face told them she was being completely serious. 

"Are you sure that's a good idea? She doesn't exactly seem to like Laxus-" Freed tried to reason with her, but Hana refused to listen.

"To heck with her personal preferences! Her life is in danger, so she needs to grow up and deal with her problems rather than pout like a little kid! Now go!" she snapped. Despite her serious tone, a playful spark managed to creep into her eyes. "That is, unless you're scared of a fourteen year old girl."

Laxus rolled his eyes in annoyance. "As if." he muttered under his breath and turned to Freed. "Are there any routes that are free of your runes."

Freed shook his head. "No, but I can make sure that you don't get caught in them. Hold still." Taking out his pen, the mage scribbled a few, glowing runes onto the back of Laxus's hand. "This spell will allow you to pass through the traps. Just be careful around water magic because it might wash it off."

"Thanks." Laxus locked eyes with Hana and saw the faint traces of fear she was so desperately trying to hide. "I will bring Kiyo back, so don't worry."

Hana immediately looked away and shrugged him off. "I'm not worried. I'm annoyed that you haven't left already. Get going already!"

Laxus smiled at her attempt to hide her feelings, and spinning on his heels, he raced in the direction from which Kiyo's voice had come. Before too long, the alley he was sprinted down opened up into another plaza, and in the center of it was Kiyo, surrounded by five members of the dark guild. The girl's eyes immediately narrowed when she saw him.

"You stay out of this!" she spat at him, panting heavily whilst dodging an attack from one of her opponents. Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough, and the attack nicked her in the side. Yelping, she stumbled back, gripping her side and leaning against the wall of a house for support. "Rainbow Requip: Nightshade Shurikens!" she shouted, and five shimmering, black throwing stars appeared in her hand. However, when she hurled the stars at her opponents, her poor aim resulted in only one shuriken just barely hitting its target while the others all sailed right past them and embedded themselves in another brick wall.

"Sorry, I don't take orders from you. Wing Slash of the Lightning Dragon." Laxus shouted, knocking the dark mages to the ground with a wave lightning. Once he was certain that they were knocked out, he scooped up Kiyo and carried her over to a chair at a nearby cafe table, the girl squirming in his arms the whole time.

"Put me down!" she screeched as she flailed about. "I was handling those guys just fine! You ruin everything!"

"Yeah, how awful of me to save your life." Laxus grumbled sarcastically as he dropped her onto the chair. "Now hold still and let me see your wound-"

"No! Don't touch me!" Kiyo shrieked as she slapped away his hands. "I don't need help from the high and mighty Laxus Dreyar! You already took away my friend and my dream; I won't let you take my dignity too!"

"What?! What the heck are you babbling about?" Laxus frowned.

By now, hot, angry tears had begun to spill down Kiyo's cheeks. "You don't even remember me, do you? Well then, let me remind you of the day I never forgot."

\-----------

Seven years earlier....

"I'm finally gonna do it! I'm gonna join Fairy Tail! All my hardwork is going to pay off!" a young Kiyo smiled giddily to herself as she practically skipped through the city of Magnolia toward the large guild hall at its center. "I hope I'll get to see Team Natsu. Oh, but what if they talk to me? I can't afford to faint; that would be so embarrassing! Maybe I should plan out what I'm going to say-no, then I'll sound like a robot. But wait a minute, I'm getting off track! Worry about getting into the guild first and meeting your idols later-" Suddenly, the little girl crashed into a wall of black fabric and muscle.

"Hey, watch where you're going, brat!" Someone snapped at her.

Kiyo looked up toward the voice, and her heart nearly stopped when she saw a pair of gray eyes framed by blonde hair and a lightning shaped scar peering down at her.

"Holy crap! That's Laxus Dreyar! I bumped into Laxus Dreyar!" Kiyo mentally squealed as she stared up with wide eyes at the legendary wizard, her mouthing hanging open.

"What are you staring at?" Laxus snapped at her. "Don't you know that it's rude to stare?"

"Uh oh, I'm making him mad." Kiyo immediately tried to apologize, but her tongue felt like lead in her mouth. "I-I-I-uh, I-"

"Spit it out already!"

Kiyo flinched at his harsh tone. "He's kinda mean."

Grumbling to himself, Laxus turned away from the child and walked off. "Stupid kid."

For a moment, Kiyo couldn't move, still frozen in shock, but as she regained control of her muscles, she shrugged, dismissing the mage's rude behavior, and continued toward the guild. Once she arrived, she paused at the door as nervousness began to eat at her stomach. "Oh my gosh! I'm actually here! Okay, I can do this! Just take a deep breath and open the door on three. One, two-"

"Could you move please?" A familiar, exasperated voice barked behind her.

Her muscles stiffening, Kiyo slowly turned to see Laxus standing behind her, his arms crossed. Upon seeing the child's face, the man cocked a suspicious eyebrow.

"You again? What are you doing here? Are you following me or something?"

"N-N-No." Kiyo stuttered in reply. "I-I came to join the guild."

At first, Laxus just stared at the little girl, and then he burst out laughing, hugging his sides as they ached. 

Kiyo's face fell. "What's so funny?"

"You honestly think we would let a weakling like you join us?" Laxus sneered as his breathing evened out.

Kiyo's face scrunched up angrily. "I'm not weak! I'm a good wizard, and I practice everyday!"

"Is that so? Well, then I guess I could give you a shot. If I don't beat you in ten seconds, you can join my guild, alright?"

Kiyo was completely oblivious to Laxus's sarcasm and eagerly nodded in agreement. "Okay!" Not getting beat up in ten seconds? Piece of cake! Shifting into s fighting stance, she immediately began to focus her magic energy. "Rainbow Requip-" Her voice broke off when Laxus's fist embedded itself in her gut, knocking the wind out of her, and sent her skidding across the street as he laughed maniacally. Kiyo tried to stand up, but her trembling body didn't listen.

"Don't even try to get up." Laxus snickered. "You lost."

"T-T-Test me again. I swear I'll do better."

"Nope."

"T-T-Then I'll train some more and come back in a few months-"

"Still not letting you in."

"Please, just let me speak to Master Markarov-"

"I doesn't matter what Gramps say because he isn't going to be the he guild master for much longer." Laxus spat. "Fairy Tail has become soft over the years because it let in weak people like you, but trust me, soon all the weaklings will be gone and only the strong will remain. You're never joining this guild. Ever."

Tears blurred Kiyo's eyes as Laxus entered the guild, her lower lip trembling as she choked back a sob. "He-He's wrong." she thought to herself as she wiped her eyes. "I'm going to join Fairy Tail one day. I'm strong enough; I know I am!"

However, as she picked herself up and dusted her off, Laxus's words echoed in the back of her mind.

"Weak....You're never joining Fairy Tail. Ever."

\------------

Present day....

Laxus stared down at Kiyo, his eyes wide in horror.

"You were right." Kiyo sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I'm not strong enough. I'll never be strong enough, no matter how much I train. I'll never be able to beat you."

"Kiyo, I-" Laxus took a deep breath. "-I'm sorry."

The girl froze. "What did you just say?"

"I never should have said that to you. I was wrong back then, but now I see clearly. Everyone is strong in their own ways. I am so so sorry." Laxus said, lowering his eyes.

There was a moment of silence, and then Kiyo burst into tears. Instinctively, Laxus pulled the her close and pressed her head into his shoulder. For several minutes, neither of them moved as the girl bawled her eyes at whilst Laxus rubbed her back soothingly. Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see Freed and Hana walking toward them and held up his hand, motioning for them to stop where they were. Slowly, Kiyo's cries reduced to whimpers, and her body stopped shaking.

"This doesn't change anything though. I still can't beat you." She muttered into Laxus's shoulder.

Guilt twisted Laxus's intestines into balloon animals at her words. There had to be a way for him to make this right, there had to be-suddenly, he got an idea.

"Kiyo, I never said that you had to beat me. I merely said you had to survive fighting me for ten seconds." he purred as he stood up, towering over her.

"So? What difference does it make?" Kiyo asked as she wiped her eyes.

"A lot of difference, actually." Laxus smiled. "I want you to fight me again."

"What?! Heck no! How will that make anything better? You'll just beat me again and make me feel worse-"

"Kiyo, trust me."

At that moment, Kiyo was faced with a decision. She could either fight Laxus and risk being humiliated again, or she could refuse and wallow in self pity for the rest of her life. Neither option sounded great, but she had to choose one.

"Fine." she grumbled, standing. "Just know that if you humiliate me again, I'll never forgive you."

Laxus smiled and shifted into a fighting position. "You ready?"

Kiyo mimicked his pose. "I guess."

"Ready, set, go!" Laxus exclaimed, charging at her. "Roar of the Lightning Dragon!"

"Rainbow Requip: Scarlet Shield!" Kiyo exclaimed, holding up the red circle as soon as it materialized in her hands and blocking the lightning. She hastily side-stepped out of Laxus's way and hit him across the face with her shield. Freed yelped, nearly giving away his and Hana's presence, but Hana quickly slapped her hand over his mouth.

Spinning around, Laxus swung his fists at Kiyo, but once again, she dodged before swinging back and earning a solid kick to Laxus's stomach. The dragon slayer stumbled back, but he was smiling in a way that made Kiyo's skin crawl.

"W-W-What are you so happy about?" She asked warily.

"Time's up." Laxus mumbled. "You win."

"I win...." At first, Kiyo's mind didn't comprehend what he had said. However, as she thought about it, a sensation like a weight being lifted off of her chest swept over her. "I-I won...." she gasped in disbelief. "I won! I won! I won! I won!" She danced about excitedly till she heard applause echoing behind her and turned to see Hana and Freed, standing behind her, clapping enthusiastically. Hana flashed her a warm smile.

"Hana...." Suddenly, Kiyo stopped dancing as regret welled up inside her. "Hana!" she wailed, running into her friend's arms and hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Breathe, Kiyo, breathe!" Hana chuckled as her friend gushed out apology after apology. "I'll forgive you if you'll forgive Laxus. Deal?"

"Deal." Kiyo purred.

\-------------

When Lucy came to, she hissed in pain as rays of sunlight bounced off of blue-tinted glass and into her eyes, burning her retinas.

"Loke!" she whined in annoyance.

"Lucy!" Loke sighed in relief. "Thank goodness!"

Lucy slowly sat up, rubbing her head and glancing at the vacant streets around her. "Where am I?"

"Toward the center of the town." Loke answered. He frowned worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." 

"Good." The celestial spirit then proceeded to grab his owner by the arms and shake her violently. "What the heck were you thinking?! Why didn't you call me sooner?! You could have been hurt!"

"The real question is why you didn't let yourself out again for once." Lucy answered smugly.

Loke scowled. "Not funny. Seriously, why haven't you called on me or the others lately? Did we do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't. I kept trying to call on you guys, but then Sierra-" Lucy's voice broke off, and her face scrunched up into an angry scowl. "Sierra! Why that little witch, thinking she can boss me around, tell when I can or cannot use my magic! I have quite a few things I'd like to say to her!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet and wobbling slightly.

"Lucy, calm down before you hurt yourself!" Loke shrieked, reaching out to steady her. "I can't have your hurting that beautiful body of yours."

Lucy rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Loke, this is really not the time!"

Loke shrank back. "Sorry."

"Which way is the fight-"

"Lucy!" Prince shouted as he came racing over. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

Loke's jaw dropped. "N?"

Prince's eyes widened excitedly. "Onii-san!" he cried, practically tackling Loke in a hug.

"I'm not your Onii-san!" Loke grumbled.

"You're another lion spirit though; that's good enough for me." Prince purred as he squeezed Loke tighter.

"Prince! Did you find her-" Sierra asked as she jogged toward them, but the minute she saw Loke, she froze.

"You! I have some things I'd like to say to you, you little brat!" Lucy snapped. "But first, Loke, beat her up!"

Nothing happened, causing Lucy to frown. Loke never disobeyed her commands." Loke?" she turned around to see the celestial spirit was also frozen, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at the newcomer.

"S-S-Sierra?" he practically whispered.

As she gazed back at the celestial spirit, one word crossed Sierra's mind. "Crap!"

((Happy: No! You're not allowed to stop now! You can't do another cliff hanger!

Admin: I can and I will! MWAHAHAHA!!!

Happy: NOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Natsu: Hey Admin, some of the cheese is missing from your fridge.

Admin: Ha ha, very funny, Natsu.

Natsu: I'm serious! Some of your cheese is missing!

Admin: You can stop the act, Natsu; you're not fooling anyone. I know you're just say that some of my cheese is missing because you think my newest chapter is cheesy.

Natsu: No, I'm not! Some of your cheese really is missing! I swear.

Admin: Natsu, the joke's old now. Let it go.

Natsu: I'm serious! Some of your-

Admin: Natsu, don't make me get Erza!

Natsu: Humph! I was just trying to be a good friend and let you know. *storms off*

Admin: Sure you were.))


	12. Chapter 12

Twelve years earlier.....

Sierra could barely contain her excitement as she raced through the streets toward the Blue Pegasus guild hall, a tiny, brown paper bag clutched tightly to her little chest.

"I did it!" she squealed to herself as she entered through the building's shining doors. "Oh, Grandma would be so proud of me! I finally saved up enough money from the small portions Karen gives me from our jobs and bought a Zodiac key!" Scampering over to a table at the very back of the guild where no one ever sat, she set the paper bag down on and stared at it, biting her lip as an impossible question raced through her seven-year old mind. "Should I take a peek?"

"No! We can't take out the key until we are safely locked in our room! If she sees the it, Karen will-" her conscience shrieked but was cut off by her curiosity.

"Karen is away on job and won't get back until tomorrow." it cooed seductively. "Just take a peek...."

"It's too risky! Don't!" her conscience screamed, but Sierra's hand was already inside the bag. Feeling around, she smiled as she felt the gentle coolness of the metal against her hand, and she gently but firmly wrapped her fingers around it before lifting it out of the bag. Cradling the key in her palms, she traced the designs on it with her finger, smiling to herself. As she held it, the gold key seemed to grow warm to the touch and shimmer softly as if it was responding to its current holder.

"Do you like me?" Sierra whispered to the key, giggling as she stared at it. However, so absorbed was she in her new treasure that she did not notice the ominous shadow enveloping her until it was too late.

"What's that?" Karen's harsh voice snapped from behind her.

Sierra went stiff as chills raced throughout her body. "Nothing!" she squeaked as she tried to hastily shove the key into her pocket, but Karen snatched hold of her wrist before she could and pulled her hand out she she could examine what her little cousin was hiding. Her eyes immediately narrowed when she saw the shiny golden key.

"Where did you get this?" she hissed venomously, squeezing Sierra's arm. "Did you steal it?"

"No! I bought it with the money I saved up from our jobs!" Sierra whimpered in reply, tears springing to her eyes as her wrist throbbed painfully. "Karen, please let go! You're hurting me!"

"You bought a Zodiac key....." Karen mumbled, staring at the shiny, golden object, and suddenly, a wicked smile danced onto her face. "Gee, Sierra, my birthday was a couple of months ago, but I guess I can forgive you for giving me my present late."

Sierra's eyes widened in horror when she realized what her cousin meant, and she flailed about wildly in a desperate attempt to free herself.

"Sierra, knock it off-" Karen snapped only to get accidentally slapped in the face by Sierra's other hand. With a yelp, she let go of her cousin and clasped her cheek, which hand begun to turn red, and she immediately glared daggers at Sierra, who was frozen in fear. When the little girl spun on her toes and attempted to run, Karen lunged and grasped hold of Sierra's long ponytail, using it to yank her back and make her fall on her bum. Pinning her younger cousin down, Karen yanked the key loose from the little girl's fingers before tightening her grip on her thick blonde hair and dragging her toward a nearby closet. With a rather unfeminine grunt, she tossed Sierra into the closet's gaping maw and locked the door, breaking the key so she couldn't get out before turning back to the shiny golden treasure in her hand. As she walked away, Sierra's desperate screams echoed behind her.

"Let me out! Let me out!" she shrieked as she pounded on the door, tears streaming down her face in waterfalls.

Ignoring her cousin's screams, Karen raced up the stairs and into her room before holding the key and chanting, "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Leo!"

In a flash of warm, dazzling light, a orange-haired man in a suit appeared, his hazel eyes scanning the room around him before settling on Karen. His mouth immediately curved into a deep frown. "This woman's aura is different from the one I felt before. How did this other human get my key?"

Grinning, Karen curtsied before the celestial spirit, her eyes never breaking contact with his own. "It is an honor to be to meet you, mighty Leo the Lion."

"She's definitely a flatterer." Leo thought to himself, smirking in amusement. "Perhaps I'll hear her out."

"I assume you wish to make a contract with me?" he stated, already knowing the answer.

"Right to the point, hm? I like that." Karen purred. "Let's discuss the terms of our contract-"

"I am available whenever you need me. However, before we make this contract, I need you to answer one question for me: Are you really the one who found my key?" Leo cut her off, crossing his arms.

"How the heck did he know?!" Karen panicked. Forcing a smile to hide her nervousness, she stuttered. "What do you mean by that?"

"Your aura is different from the one I sensed only moments ago. Either your aura changed, which I doubt, or you stole my key from someone." Leo's eyes narrowed. "Did you?"

"Think! Think! Aha!" When an idea popped into her mind, Karen's confident smile returned. "I didn't buy your key, but I didn't steal it either. You were given to me as a gift by my cousin, Sierra."

"A gift? I guess that makes sense." Leo frowned, mulling over this new information. "Still, something doesn't feel right."

Karen rolled her eyes, annoyed by Leo's persisting suspicions. "If you don't trust me then talk to my spirit. I'm positive she'll reassure you. Mind holding your gate open on your own for a moment so I can open hers? I'm not strong enough to open two doors at once."

"Not at all." Leo stated before switching to his own power. It wasn't hard on him since he was already doing seventy-five percent of the work; Karen certainly wasn't very strong.

Holding out her other key, Karen practically sang, "Gate of the Ram, I open thee! Aries!"

In a puff of pink, the timid celestial spirit appeared, her eyes downcast. Leo's eyes widened in shock.

"Aries?!" he exclaimed.

At the sound of Leo's voice, Aries's gaze snapped up and her mouth gaped. "Leo?!"

"Oh good, you two know each other already. Perfect." Karen purred.

Aries glanced nervously at her master. "Miss Karen, what's going on? I'm sorry!"

"I'm sorry?" Leo frowned, concerned. "That's new."

"Why are you apologizing, Aries?" he asked her gently, his eyes searching her own. Unfortunately, she immediately looked away; something was wrong.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" she cried, trembling. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Shut up, you stupid sheep!" Karen rolled her eyes and forced a concerned expression onto her face. "Aries, dear, what's wrong? You seem upset." she cooed, taking the celestial spirit's chin in her hand and making her look up at her.

At first, Aries was confused, but when she saw the icy fire dancing in Karen's eyes, she bit back a whimper and forced herself to stop shaking. "N-N-Nothing . It's nothing."

Leo's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Aries, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm sorry!" Aries squeaked before shooting a frightened glance at Karen and moving a few inches away as her master pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. This behavior, of course, increased Leo's suspicions tenfold.

"She did something to Aries." He reasoned. "I can't let it happen again. Since she obviously won't break the contract with the only celestial spirit she has, there is only one thing left to do."

"Actually, Karen, I've made up my mind." Leo stated, confidently.

"You have?!" Karen yelped. "But Aries hasn't even said anything yet."

"She doesn't have to; I've already decided." Leo stated, forcing a smile. "I will make a contract with you."

Aries's eyes widened in horror. Leo was going to make a contract with Karen?! Millions of scenarios began to swirl inside her head, but they all had one thing I common: each situation ended badly. Unfortunately, the sneer on Karen's face told her it was too late; Leo couldn't go back. "I hope he knows what he's doing." she thought to herself.

"Perfect!" Karen purred as she added Leo's key to her key ring. "Aries, you can go now; you're no longer needed. Also, try to get that apologizing problem of yours fixed."

"Y-Y-Yes ma'am." Aries whimpered. She locked eyes with Leo as her body began to disappear. "Goodbye, Leo. I-I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, Aries. I'm your friend, and it's my job to protect you."

"So, when are you available-"

"I can come whenever." Leo replied curtly. 

Karen scowled. "Are you giving me sass, little lion?"

However, before Leo could respond, someone began pounding angrily on Karen's door.

"KAREN!!!!! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!!!!" Master Bob screamed. Given that he rarely yelled, his voice cracked a few times due to the strain.

Karen rolled her eyes. "Hold on a second." she told Leo before unlocking the door and opening it to find a red-faced Master Bob. Hiding behind him was a trembling Sierra, her eyes bloodshot and cheeks covered in tear stains.

"Karen, why did you lock Sierra in the closer downstairs?!" the angry guild master hissed.

"How do you know I did it?" Karen snapped back, her eyes narrowing at Sierra. "Unless someone tattled on me like a child?"

A whimper escaped Sierra's throat as she sank further into Master Bob's shadow.

"Are you nuts, Karen? You can't just lock your cousin in a closet! She's a living being; you can't mistreat her like that! Now I have to get a new closet door because I had to break the old one down in order to get Sierra out," the master continued to rant. He held out his hand, "and seeing as you're the one responsible for all this, you'll be the one pay for the new door."

"Whatever." Karen scoffed as she began to close the door only to have Master Bob push it back open.

"Karen, I'm serious! You're paying for that door!"

"Alright! Sheesh! Give me a moment. Leo, grab my purse off the bed!"

"Leo?" Sierra felt her heart aching, although she shouldn't have been so surprised. Karen had always been selfish, so of course she would steal the Sierra's key after she worked so hard for it. "I'm so stupid! I never should have bought that key in the first place. I was just fooling myself. Karen always gets what she wants, and no matter what, I'll never be able to change that."

"I-I have to go." the little girl whispered in Master Bob's ear before running off, furiously wiping at her eyes as more tears began to blur her vision.

As he handed Karen the purse, Leo felt the familiar, gentle aura from before, although it was slowly growing fainter. Frowning, he said distractedly. "Miss Karen, I going to go back to the Celestial Spirit World, if that's alright?"

"Whatever." Karen grumbled in reply as she scoured her purse for cash. "Like I care."

In a flash of light, Leo teleported away, but rather than going back to the Celestial Spirit World, he transported him just outside of the guild hall instead, his mind set on one thing. "I need to find whoever is emitting that aura."

\-------------

When the sun had almost completely set, Leo considered giving up. Whoever was the owner of that amazing aura obviously didn't want to be found.

"Just a little bit longer. If I haven't found him or her by the time the sun is completely gone, I'll go back." He told himself, and suddenly, as he began to walk around again, he felt it, the same warm, gentle feeling he had sensed through his key earlier that day. Immediately, he began to follow it, and as the sensation grew stronger inside him, his ears detected the faint sounds of crying. As soon as he saw the forms of other people, he hid behind a tree and peered at them closely from the safety of its shadows. Sitting on a nearby bench were a blonde man, a dark-haired woman, and a blonde little girl, who was crying as the man rubbed her back soothingly. At the sight of the two adults, something began to tug at the back of Leo's mind; had he met them before? Curious, he slipped behind another tree just as the woman began to turn her head. He inhaled sharply as her dark, calculating eyes scanned the area behind her, and after a moment, she turned back around, although her body remained tense. After a quick sigh of relief, Leo strained his ears to hear the the trio's conversation.

"It isn't fair, Apollo!" A high, shaky voice blubbered. It must have been the little girl's. "I worked so hard to get that key, and she just took it!"

"Apollo?!" Loke nearly choked on air. The man comforting the child was Apollo, aka one of the most powerful Celestial Spirits to exist? This little girl had his key?

"Why didn't you fight back?" the dark-haired woman questioned the child.

"I did!" 

"Obviously you didn't try hard enough." 

Apollo glared at the woman. "Sis, you're not helping."

"Sis?!" Leo gulped. "That means the woman is Artemis! How does this kid have two of the strongest Celestial Spirits in the world?!"

"I'm just saying. Sierra, when you're in a fight, no matter who it's with, you have to go all out; you can't hold back otherwise people will walk all over you." Artemis stated firmly.

"But Karen's my cousin-"

"Screw that! She obviously doesn't care about you the way you care about her! If she did, she wouldn't treat you like a piece of crap!" Artemis shouted, causing Sierra to cry even harder.

Apollo rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Artemis, you're just making things worse. Maybe you should go home."

Artemis glared icy daggers at her brother, her jaw clenched. However, after glancing at her bawling master, her face softened as regret swelled inside her. "Alright." She whispered. "Goodnight, Sierra."

"Goodnight, Artie." Sierra mumbled in reply as the moon goddess disappeared.

Once Artemis was gone, Leo released a breath he hadn't realized that he had been holding. However, his eyes never left Sierra as the little girl wiped her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the rivers of tears running down her face.

Sighing, Apollo reached into a bag beside him and pulled out a little wrapped candy and popped it in his mouth. "You know, there's a chance that Leo didn't make a contract with Karen." he said as he sucked on the ball of sugar, food coloring, and artificial flavors.

"I doubt it." Sierra said as she pulled a candy from the bag as well, tossing it back and forth between her hands. "Besides, even if he didn't, Karen would just sell the key then; she would never give it to me." She put the candy back in the bag. "It's getting late. You should go."

"And leave you to walk home all by yourself? Not happening." Apollo said. "Besides, aren't you forgetting something?"

Sierra groaned. "Apollo, not tonight. I don't feel like it."

"I know you don't feel like it, but it will help, trust me." Apollo said as her wrapped his arm gently around the little girl's shoulder. "Which constellations do you recognize?"

By then, Leo had stopped listening; he was now certain that Sierra was the one who had originally had his key. As he continued to stare at the little girl's tear-stained face, he felt his heart breaking for her. She should have gotten his key; this sweet, wonderful girl was supposed to have his key, not Karen. "I shouldn't have been so quick to make that contract with Karen. I should have waited and explored all my options." Leo sighed. He glanced at Sierra with a sigh before turning to leave, but as he set his foot down, a twig snapped beneath his foot, causing both Apollo and Sierra to jump.

"Who's there?" Apollo barked, pulling Sierra protectively against his side. "Come out into the open where I can see you!"

There was no way he could slip away now. "Nice going." Leo scolded himself. "Just what I need: a beatdown from the sun god." 

"Alright, alright, you got me. Don't shoot!" He stated, holding up his hands as he exited the shadows.

"Leo?" Apollo's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Leo..." At the sight of the new celestial spirit, another wave of fresh tears rained down Sierra's face. Completely forgetting Apollo, Leo immediately crouched in front of her and began wiping her eyes with the edge of his sleeve.

"Easy, easy, calm down." he purred softly. "Why is such a pretty girl like yourself crying?"

Sierra frowned. "Pretty? What do you mean pretty? I'm not pretty."

"What blind idiot told you that?"

"My cousin, Karen." Sierra said as she looked down at herself. "She says I'm chubby and that my chest and hips are too small."

Leo smiled sympathetically. "She's just jealous, beautiful, because when you get older, you'll outshine her without even trying. You're not chubby; you're a heathy weight. And as far as your hips and chest, you haven't even hit puberty yet! You'll fill out in those areas as you get older, I promise. Now will you please stop crying? I'm can't bear to watch such a gorgeous girl cry."

Sierra hiccuped and wiped as eyes as a light blush dusted her cheeks. "You didn't answer Apollo's question. Why are you here?"

"It's simple actually; I'm here because I wanted to meet you." Leo grinned.

Sierra's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Huh?"

"I know Karen didn't find my key. Her aura is different from the one I sensed through my key earlier today. I know you're the one who was supposed to be my new master." Leo stated as her tucked a few of her loose, blonde tresses behind her ear.

"Then why did you make a contract with with her?" Sierra sniffled, averting her eyes from the celestial lion's glowing hazel orbs.

"I'm worried about Aries. She isn't the same as when we last met and I think your cousin is responsible. I only made the contract with Karen so I could keep an eye on both of them." he paused. "Do you know anything?"

"I-I-I-" Sierra's eyes frantically scanned the area, expecting to see an extremely ticked off Karen coming for her. Leo noticed this behavior and set a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me if you're scared of getting in trouble." He said softly. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I-I'm sorry." Sierra whispered, ashamed.

"Don't be. The only one in the wrong here is Karen." Leo replied. He glanced at the vacant spot Artemis had left on the bench. "Mind if I sit?"

Sierra glanced at Apollo as if she was asking his permission. The sun god had been watching Leo closely ever since his appearance, and despite his cold, calculating gaze, his body was not tense. Having owned Apollo for so long, Sierra knew what this meant. Apollo was uncertain about his opinion of the lion, so any call she made would have to be of her own reasoning.

"I guess so." she finally mumbled, scooting over a little to give Leo more room.

"Thank you." Leo smiled as he sat down beside her. Quickly noticing her shivering shoulders, he removed his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Apollo, you're slacking off, man. Going to let your master freeze to death?" he teased in hopes of lightening the mood.

At first, Apollo's expression didn't change, but slowly, a smile crept onto his lips. "Naw, I just wanted you to give her your jacket you would freeze instead." he taunted back.

Giggles immediately began escaping from Sierra's lips, and her eyes filled with a warm sparkle. As color returned to the child's face, Leo's smile grew as her contagious delight began to infect him. "Hey Apollo, Aphrodite called. She wants her dress back."

"I'm sure she would prefer to get her hair products back from you first."

More laughter echoed from Sierra's throat as she listened to the two spirits playful bantering. After a while, she was too tired from laughing to sit up and leaned against Leo's side for support.

"You have an adorable laugh." he complemented her as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Thanks." she blushed as she wrapped his coat tighter around her shoulders.

"You know, just because I'm Karen's spirit doesn't mean that we can't be friends." Leo told her.

"Friends?"

"Mm hmm.

"I'd like that." Sierra whispered as she buried herself deeper into the Zodiac's side.

"Then we're friends." Leo smiled. "Hey, what were you and Apollo doing when I first showed up?"

"Oh, it was nothing. Just a nightly tradition we have."

"Oh?"

"Every night, Apollo or Artemis take me outside, and we look at the stars together. Whenever I find a constellation and point it out, they'll tell me a story about that particular spirit. It helps me fall asleep." Sierra murmured as she looked up at the sky.

"Sounds fun. Why don't you find a constellation, and I'll tell you a story I know about it." 

Sierra's eyes sparkled. "You mean it? Okay!" Immediately, she scanned the night sky and pointed out the first constellation she saw. "That's one. It's your constellation, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is." Leo chuckled. "You want to hear a story about me?"

"Yes please." Sierra sang.

"Alright, let me think...." Leo said, searching through his memory for a story the little girl would enjoy. "I know, I'll tell you the story of The Duel of the Lions."

Apollo immediately started snickering. "I thought you hate that story."

"I do, but I know that she'll like it." Leo said as he slid Sierra into his lap. "Now, a long time ago, I was summoned by my master to fight another celestial wizard and his spirit. Both of us spirits appeared simultaneously, I was surprised to learn that my opponent was another lion spirit. He didn't have an official name since none of his masters had bothered to give him one, so everyone called him N the Nemean Lion."

"The Nemean Lion?!" Sierra gasped in awe. "He's an Olympian spirit! Isn't he invincible?"

"Not necessarily. I will admit, our battle was exhausting, and he did beat me up quite a bit. However, as a lion and a Zodiac, I refused to back down. I soon noticed flaws in his attack patterns. When N got overly excited, he tended to attack first and think later. This was how I was able to beat him. I tricked him into jumping into a lake. He wasn't a very good swimmer."

"Was he alright?!"

"Yeah, just soaked."

"Oh. So why don't you like this story? You won, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. But after the fight, N followed me around for weeks, insisting that he needed to learn everything from me so he could become better. He even started referring to me as his older brother!"

Sierra chuckled. "He sounds funny." Yawning, the little girl rested her head against Leo's chest. "Thank you for the story, Leo-san."

"You're welcome. Now let's get you home. It's late." Cradling Sierra in his arms, Leo stood up and turned to Apollo. "Can you lead the way?"

Apollo nodded, his lips still curved into a smile and began to walk down the street with Leo in tow.

As the two of them walked, Leo stared down at Sierra as she drifted off to sleep in his arms. "Even though Karen is my master, this little girl is the one I shall risk my life to protect. Karen may hold my key, but this child holds a place in my heart. I won't let Karen hurt her or Aries ever again."

\-------------  
Two years later....

Karen was dead. Aries was gone, her key vanishing without a trace, and Leo was banished from the Celestial Spirit world. For the former Zodiac, life couldn't be worse. He had wanted to go to Karen's funeral, which had occurred a few days prior, but given that over a dozen manhunts had been organized to kill him, it didn't seem like a good idea. Unable to go home and hated by all, only one thing kept Leo from collapsing into utter despair: Sierra. Although he couldn't go visit her, she occupied his thoughts throughout the day. Memories from their friendship brought him comfort and gave him hope; as long as he had Sierra, he would endure.

"She probably hates me now." He thought to himself. "She and Karen may not have gotten along, but I know she cared deeply for her. Now Karen's gone, and I'm the one to blame." His heart ached at the thought of the little girl being angry with him. "But even if she hates me, I'll still protect her. Sierra, I vow to you on your cousin's that for whatever time I have left to live, I will protect you."

The sound of the creaky cathedral door swinging open snapped Leo out of his thoughts as Master Bob entered the large chapel, looking as mopey as he had a all week.

"More bad news?" Leo sighed, turning his back to the man. "Alright, just say it. No sugarcoating. It's not like this week can get any worse-"

"Sierra's gone."

Instantly, Leo's heart stopped as an icy chill ran down his spine, spreading throughout his entire body. What had he just said what Leo thought he said?

"What?" the lion finally whispered after a long pause.

"I said Sierra's gone."

Those words stole the air right out of Leo's lungs, and he swore he heard the sound of his heart shattering inside his chest.

"She's gone? What do you mean she's gone?!"

"After Karen's funeral, she quit the guild and ran off. I have everyone out searching, but it has been days...." Bob whimpered sadly. "She's isn't coming back, Leo."

Leo's legs shook unsteadily beneath him before collapsing, bringing him down onto his knees. "No-please, not her too." he softly begged some unseen force. "Isn't Karen's death punishment enough? Don't take her from me too. Sierra....." Turning his face toward the sky, Leo released the waves of tears in his eyes and roared miserably at the cruel world around him. "SIERRA!!!!! COME BACK!!!!!!"

\------------  
Present Day...

"S-S-Sierra?" Loke couldn't believe his eyes. If not for Sierra's unmistakably aura and Apollo's and Artemis's keys hanging around her neck, he never would have recognized her. Gone was the timid little girl from nine years ago, and in her place stood a strong, confident young woman.

"Crap!" Whirling around, Sierra tried to run, but Lucy had other plans.

"Gate of the Ram, I open thee! Aries, don't let her escape!"

"Yes, Lucy! Wool Wa-Sierra?!" Aries gaped, freezing mid-spell.

Sierra skidded to a halt and spun around again only to crash against Loke's chest, allowing the celestial spirit to grab hold of her by her arms.

"No! Leo, let go of me!" she shrieked, squirming in his grasp as she struggled to pull away. Unfortunately for her, the celestial lion still had her beat in physical strength, allowing him to pull her close and wrap his arms around her in a tight hug.

"Ten years. I haven't seen you in ten years, and this is how you treat me when we finally see each other again?" he whispered hoarsely, tears springing to his eyes as he rested his face in the crook of her neck.

"Leo, let go of me. Now." Sierra repeated, but this time, her voice wavered.

"Why are you trying to push me away? Didn't you miss me?"

"No."

"You're lying."

Sierra bit her lip to prevent it from quivering. "How would you know?"

"Because whenever you lie, your shoulders tense up." Loke said, running his finger gently over Sierra's strained muscles, but the blonde flinched away.

"People change, Leo; I've changed."

"Maybe on the outside, but on the inside, you're still the same sweet, passionate, loyal, adorably awkward Sierra that I remember."

"You're wrong."

"Am I? Alright, prove it. Hit me." Leo stated.

Sierra's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "What?"

"When you were little, you refused to yell at or hit any spirits that you met because you felt it was abusive. If you've really changed that much, then you'll be able to punch me without a problem."

"I can't do that! I need to find another way out of this." Sierra frowned slightly, searching her mind for an answer. "What good will hitting you do? It's not like you'll let me go if I do."

"Yes I will."

"Liar."

"I mean it. I swear on my constellation that if you hit me, I'll let you go and never bother you again."

"Never again huh?" Sierra pondered this for a moment. "Alright, fine." Slowly, she clenched her hand into a fist and raised it shakily into the air. While her arm trembled, Sierra gritted her teeth as she focused all of her strength into her punch. Meanwhile, Loke just sat in front of her, his face straight other than a small, genuine, trusting smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Was he nuts?

"Loke, what are you doing?! She's actually going to hit you!" Lucy screamed. "Don't just sit there; take her down!"

But Loke didn't move; he merely sat and waited patiently for Sierra to strike him.

All of Sierra's other thoughts grew fuzzy and distant as she focused on her one task. Sweat dropped from her pores as her heartbeat roared in her ears like war drums, urging her to strike. "Just one hit. Just one punch. I can do this. I just reel my arm back and swing. That's it! Okay, deep breaths. One, two-I can't." Sierra's arm dropped lumpy to her side, her hand unclenching as she hung her head. "Why do you have to make this so difficult?" she whimpered as big, crocodile tears dripped off her cheeks and onto the pavement. "Why aren't you afraid of me? I should hate you."

"Do you?"

"....No." 

"Then I have nothing to fear. Now stop crying; I've already told you how much I hate to see a lady cry." Leo said as he took Sierra's face in his hands and began wiping away her tears with his thumb like he had those many years ago on the night they met.

"Leo...." Sierra trailed off before burying herself into her long lost friend's chest, squeezing him tightly. The lion merely stroked her hair soothingly as she sobbed against his strong frame. For a moment, a blanket of silence enveloped them within its folds. Once she couldn't cry any longer, Sierra took a few shaky breaths but didn't let go of Leo. "I missed you." she whispered, her voice sore from wailing.

"I missed you too, and I know someone else did too." Leo said, glancing up at Aries, who was biting her lip to keep from crying as well.

"Aries..." With a kind smile, Sierra held open her arms, and the ram celestial spirit charged right into her embraced. The girls hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go, but a loud cough from Lucy ruined the moment.

"Excuse my interruption but WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!?! HOW DO YOU TWO KNOW HER?!" she exclaimed loudly, waving her arms around like a maniac.

Smiling, Loke helped Sierra to his feet before tucking her underneath his arm. "Simple, Sierra is Karen's cousin."

"Cousin?! You said Karen was your inspiration! You didn't say anything about the two of you being related!" Lucy fumed at Sierra.

"Yeah, I sorta left that part out on purpose." Sierra mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

Lucy's anger diminished and trances of hurt glittered in her eyes. "Why? Don't you trust me?"

Sierra sighed, "Yes, I do, but I also know that if anything threatens the wellbeing of your spirit, you will stop at nothing to protect them. I was afraid that if I said I was related to Karen that you would chase me away so I couldn't protect Leo."

"What do you mean protect me? I'm not in any danger."

"There are still people hunting you, Leo. I didn't want to take even the slightest risk of you getting caught," Sierra's expression grew somber, "which is why I have to leave now."

"Leave?  What do you mean leave?! I just got you back!" Loke said.

"I don't want to, but me being near you puts both you and your master at risk. Someone could track me down to find you-"

"Then let them find me! I'm not letting you leave my sight!" Loke stated, his grip on her tightening. 

Sierra frowned up at him. "Leo, you don't understand what you're saying-"

"I understand exactly what I'm saying! Nine years apart is enough; I'm not letting you out of my life ever again." The Zodiac leader declared.

"Besides, we're tougher than we look. Whatever gets thrown at us, we can handle it." Lucy grinned confidently, flashing Sierra a wink.

Sierra smiled in amusement. "You're really stubborn, you know that?" She mumbled to Leo.

"Only when something or someone I care about is at stake." Leo purred. Smirking, he scanned Sierra's body from head to toe before running his hand up her side. "I told you that you were going to fill out."

"Leo, you pervert!" Sierra squeaked, her face turning bright red as she swatted his hand away. The lion laughed merrily.

"Sierra, when do I get a chance to hug Onii-san?!" Prince suddenly whined, stomping his foot like a five year old.

"I'm not your Onii-san, N!" Loke growled.

"Prince, stop pestering Leo. You'll get your turn eventually." Sierra gently scolded the Nemean Lion, who stuck out his lower lip in a childish pout.

Leo frowned in confusion. "Prince?"

"You said none of his prior masters cared enough to name him, so I decided to do it myself." Sierra blushed.

Leo chuckled. "Of course you did, not that I expect anything less from you."

Again, silence swept over them; despite being separated for almost a decade, the two had no words. As the sun began to set, rays of golden light danced across her face and hair so she practically glowed.

"She looks like an angel." Leo smiled to himself. "No, not an angel. She looks like a star."

Suddenly, a bizarre feeling began to spread from Leo's chest. Butterflies danced in his stomach, and his heart pounded like he had run a marathon. Sure, he had felt like this before around Lucy or his former girlfriends, but this time, the sensation felt as if it was multiple by a thousand!

"What's going on?! Am I falling in love with Sierra? I can't do that! It's wrong!" Leo panicked.

"It would be wrong if she was still a child, but she's not. She's s woman now." His conscience whispered in his ear.

"Still, we just reunited! It's too soon! I don't even know if...."

"If what?"

"If she would feel  me the same way."

Meanwhile, in Sierra's mind a similar argument was occurring.

"You should kiss him." Her instincts whispered.

"What? No way!"

"Why not?"

"He's too old for me!"

"He's immortal, Sierra, so he technically doesn't have an age."

"I might freak him out!"

"Why would it freak him out?"

"He's know me since I was a kid! It would be creepy if I suddenly started hitting on him. It just seems wrong!"

"You're just making up excuses. Kiss him already!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Uh, guys, is everything okay?" Lucy asked awkwardly.

Both Sierra and Loke were snapped from their thoughts at the sound of their friend's voice and realized they had been staring intently at each other for the last several minutes. Blushing, they looked away and pulled apart.

"Y-Yeah, everything's fine." Loke mumbled sheepishly.

Lucy cocked a suspicious eyebrow, but before she could question him further, the thumping of heavy footsteps cut her off.

"Master, we took down the dark guild and found-What are you doing here?!" Artemis hissed, her eyes narrowing at Loke, who yelped in fright and scampered behind Sierra for protection.

"Scary." he whimpered as Lucy got a sudden wave of deja vu.

"Easy, Artie, it's fine. We were just having a friendly reunion." Sierra flashed the goddess a warm smile.

Artemis scowled in Loke's direction but said nothing.

"Look, Artemis, I'm really sorry that our day out got ruined-"

"Ruined? Sierra, our day wasn't ruined. In fact, I enjoyed myself immensely. Nothing can beat a good battle alongside my master." The goddess offered Sierra a genuine smile. "However, it's getting late, and I don't want you traveling back to Magnolia during the night. Beasts inhabit these cliffs, and I don't want you risking your life by fighting them in your magically depleted state. I already rented rooms for you at the town's hotel and arranged for a hot dinner to be waiting for you upon your arrival."

"Well, isn't someone thoughtful?" Leo smirked.

The goddess merely glared at him. "Keep yourself in line, Leo, or I will neuter you the painful way."

"There's a non-painful way?" Bickslow whispered to Evergreen.

The lion spirit gulped nervously. "Got it."

"Artemis!" Sierra's cheeks burned a vibrant scarlet. "Don't say things like that!"

"Just trying to keep you safe." Artemis replied, her eyes still fixed on Leo. "Come on, Prince, lets go."

"But I didn't get my turn with Onii-san-"

"I said lets go!"

"Fine...." Prince grumbled angrily, but his cheerful smile quickly resurfaced as he waved goodbye to the other lion. "See ya, big brother!"

"I'm not your brother!" Loke shouted at the annoying Nemean Lion.

"Well, shall we get going? A hot meal certainly isn't something to waste." Hana purred, rubbing her stomach as it growled.

"Yes, and while we eat, we can catch up, as long as we're not straining you, Lucy." Loke purred before shooting his master a concerned glance. 

"You're fine! Don't worry about it, you two. Get reacquainted. Although, I'm curious as to how the cousin of Karen Lilica became friends with her mistreated celestial spirits."

"Then that will be our first story when we get to the hotel. Let's go." Loke exclaimed.

"I call dibs on getting to eat first!" Natsu blurted as he raced off at max speed.

"Where's your manners, Flamebrain? You need to let the girls go first and ME!!!" Gray shouted, racing after him.

"They do realize that the hotel is in the other direction, right?" Freed frowned.

"They'll figure it out, and if they don't, I'm sure they be fine. Plus, that just means more food for us." Leo purred, causing Sierra to giggle.

"You're silly." she smiled, leaning on him for support.

Leo frowned upon realizing what she was doing. "Are you okay?"

"Just a little tired-Leo!!!" Sierra shrieked in surprise as the Leader of the Zodiacs suddenly scooped her up.

"Better?" Loke smiled cheekily.

Sierra avoided eye contact before replying with a mumbled, "Yes."

"Would you two stop flirting and start moving already? I'm hungry too!" Kiyo whined from atop Laxus's shoulders.

Blushing, Leo began to saunter down the street with Sierra in his arms, the others following closely behind them. Meanwhile, in a nearby bush, a dark, shadow figure watched the group till they were no more than specks on the horizon. Although he had just received on a silver platter exactly what he needed, he wasn't happy. Guilt gnawed at his stomach, begging him to hold his tongue, but he didn't have a choice. Silencing his conscience, he slowly slid into the ground and disappeared beneath the surface.


	13. Chapter 13

"Wait a minute, how many of the Major Olympian keys did you say you have now?" Loke gasped.

Sierra blushed, staring at her hands in her lap. "Twelve."

"That's one away from having the whole set! And how many spirits can you summon at once?"

"Four to five."

"That's incredible!" Lucy exclaimed. "How did you accumulate so much magic energy?"

"Many long, grueling hours of training with teachers who kicked my butt." Sierra replied, fingering Apollo's and Artemis's keys. "But enough about me, I want to hear about you, Leo!" Sierra said, turning to the Zodiac. 

Loke's eyes widened in surprise. "Me?"

"Yes you! What has happened with you over these past nine years, well other than the obvious?" Sierra purred, looking up at Loke with big, sparkling eyes.

"I-uh I-um..." Instead of all the good things that had happened to him, Loke could only think about his many affairs over the past nine years. Shame coursed through his body as he recalled each girl he had seduced, and he suddenly felt very uncomfortable being in Sierra's presence. "I-I got glasses!" he blurted out, smiling uneasily, earning a curious glance from Lucy. 

"Something fishy is going on." she thought to herself. "It's almost as if...." Suddenly, everything clicked on Lucy's head, and her eyes widened in shock. Was Loke feeling ashamed of his ways because of this girl? It seemed almost impossible given Loke didn't give a crap about what anyone other than his weekly crush thought of him, but his skittish behavior made the fact undeniable. This girl made Loke feel regret for his actions, and he didn't want her to know about his mistakes. He didn't want her to know about the flirt he really was.

"Why didn't she show up sooner?!" Lucy grumbled to herself. "It would have saved me a lot of trouble." However, she couldn't help smiling as she watched Loke's unusual behavior. "It's kinda funny seeing him like this. The poor guy is so flustered. Poor Loke." 

Sierra giggled. "I noticed." She purred, tapping the blue-tinted specs perched upon the lion's nose. "I meant things like new friends I haven't met yet or-" her voice broke off, and for a mere moment, a flicker of sadness danced in her bright eyes, "-maybe a lover?"

Loke choked on air. "Lovers? Uh, no, nope, no lovers for me!" he gushed.

"What do you mean, Loke? What about all your-" Natsu began to say but a sharp kick in the shin from Lucy cut him off. "Ow! What was that for?!" he snapped at her.

"What was what for?" Lucy replied calmly as she sipped her drink.

"You just kicked me in the leg!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." the blonde mumbled, flashing Loke a wink, causing the celestial lion's shoulders to relax.

"Yes you do! You just kicked me, and you know it!"

"I did no such thing."

"Yes you did-" Natsu voice's broke off as Laxus stuffed a roll the size of a fist into his mouth. "Mmwa thw hweck?"

"Your whining is annoying." Laxus grumbled as he sat back down beside a giggling Kiyo. "Lucy didn't kick you; now shut up."

Natsu immediately spat out the bread, but his poor aim sent it flying straight at Erza. Everyone, even Laxus, stiffened as the ball of slobber and flour smacked her cheek before dropping into the middle of her plate. At first, nothing happened, then in the blink of an eye, Erza had Natsu by the ear and was dragging him toward the door as he squirmed and struggled.

"Guys! Help me!" he helped as he flailed about helplessly, but no one moved. Instead, they watched solemnly as the poor dragon slayer was dragged out of sight by the red head. 

"Will he be alright?" Kiyo whispered to Evergreen. "I mean, Erza wouldn't hurt him, would she?"

"Never tick off, Erza, kid. No matter who you are, she will ultimately destroy you if you upset her." the woman replied, shuddering as she recalled her own battle with the fiery woman many years before.

"O-oh, um, okay." Kiyo whimpered fearfully, but as she trembled, a strong but gentle arm wrapped around her arms in a comforting embrace. The little girl's eyes immediately snapped up to the body attached to the limb, and a smile tugged at her lips as she leaned against Laxus. The sight made Sierra's heart grow warm. That morning, Kiyo wouldn't have been able to stand in the Lightning Dragon Slayer's presence, but now she was acting as if they were old friends. It was quite a relief.

As the tension in the air dispersed, exhaustion began to take its toll on Sierra. Her whole body seemed to double in weight, making it hard for her sit up straight, and her eyelids felt as if they were made of lead. Without thinking, she released a small yawn which immediately caught the eye of a very observant Zodiac. 

"Are you tired?" Loke asked earnestly, peering into the woman's deep brown orbs.

"Huh? Oh, maybe just a little...." Sierra mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I'm fine though, honest. I wanna spend time with you; sleep can wait."

A light, rosy pink color dusted Loke's cheeks, his gaze falling to his hands which were folded neatly in his lap. "Y-You shouldn't strain yourself because of me, Sierra. If you're tired then I want you to go to bed."

"But-"

"No buts. Your health is my number one concern, and it's not healthy for you to stay up late."

"I'm not a child anymore, Leo, so don't treat me like one." she mumbled, although she didn't sound very upset.

"I know you're not a child, Sierra, but even big girls have to get some sleep." the celestial spirit smirked, standing up. Holding out his hand to her, he purred, "Please allow me to escort you to your suite, milady."

Now it was Sierra's turn to blush. As color flooded to her face, she took Leo's outstretched hand and allowed him to guide her toward the door. However, Leo suddenly stopped, glancing over his shoulder. At first, Sierra thought he was looking at her and wondered what she had done wrong, but she quickly realized that he wasn't looking at her but rather behind her.

"You coming, Aries?" he called to the ram spirit still sitting at the table.

"N-N-No, you go on without me; I'm good! Goodnight, Sierra!" Aries stuttered. However, unlike usual, she was struggling to suppress a huge, somewhat mischievous smile.

"Goodnight, Aries. Goodnight everyone." Sierra stated calmly.

A chorus of goodnights echoed back to her, and then Leo led her out of the room. At first, the two walked in silence as shadows danced along the walls of the hall, but eventually, Loke cleared his throat.

"So...." he began sheepishly. "How about that weather though?"

Sierra chuckled awkwardly in reply. "It's okay, I guess. A little chilly maybe."

Again, silence fell over the hall like a dense fog, suffocating the conversation.

"We're pathetic, aren't we?" Loke finally blurted. "We don't see each other for nine years, and we can barely strike up a simple conversation."

Sierra giggled hollowly. "Yes, it is rather sad. Although I've always been rather socially awkward, if you don't recall."

"How could I forget?" Loke replied, chuckling a little as some old memories resurfaced. "Remember the time you, Karen, and the Trimens went on a mission together, and you nearly passed out when you got partnered up with Eve?"

Sierra's cheeks immediately took on a rosy hue. "Yes, I remember."

"You had a pretty big crush on him. I never figured out why though; he still looks like a twelve year old to this day."

"Leo, that's mean!"

"But it's true! You can't deny that it's true!"

Sierra looked away as her cheeks got redder. "Regardless, it's still not nice!"

"So you admit that you agree with me?"

"I said no such thing!"

"You said it with your eyes." Loke purred, flashing the girl a wink.

"Jerk." Sierra mumbled, although Loke could tell she wasn't actually angry with him. There was a brief pause before the blonde woman spoke again. "I'm not interested in him anymore anyways, so it doesn't really matter."

"Is there anyone you are interested in at the moment?" 

Sierra's breathing hitched but she kept her eyes down. "No, there isn't."

"You're a terrible liar, but if you don't want to tell me, I won't push you." Loke stated, smirking down at his companion mischievously.

Sierra blushed. "You aren't a very good liar yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you lied about your girlfriends, Leo."

"Uh oh." Loke thought, forcing down a nervous gulp. Struggling to remain composed, he mumbled, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You were one of the suavest men in all of Fairy Tail; even if I didn't know it was actually you at the time, I heard about your many romances and affairs."  Turning, she stopped walking and looked the celestial lion dead in the eye. "Leo, if you think I'm mad at you, I'm not. You're not perfect, and I don't expect you to be. Everyone has done something they're not proud of. However, I prefer honesty over perfection, so next time, please just tell me the truth."

As his cheeks burned red with shame, Loke hung his head, avoiding eye contact. "How are you so kind to me? Don't you blame me even a little for what happened to Karen-"

"No, I don't. Karen made the choice to go on that mission and take the risk of summoning two spirits at once. She chose to mistreat you and Aries, and she chose not to listen to you. Therefore, I don't see anyone at fault for her death other than herself, so don't you dare go blaming yourself!" Sierra exclaimed fiercely, her brown eyes burning with a passionate fire that took Loke by surprise. She really had grown since they last saw each other, and he couldn't be prouder.

"Sierra...." As tears rushed to the Zodiac's eyes, he buried his face into the crook of his friend's neck and sobbed, and Sierra gently embraced him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. For several minutes, the only sound that could be heard were Loke's muffled cries as the horrors of Karen's death and Sierra's vanishing resurfaced, but as his tears soaked Sierra's skin, the tension in the air dispersed, unable to oppose the strong bond between friends.

When Loke couldn't cry any longer, he sluggishly raised his head to look into Sierra's eyes. "I missed you so much. I was so worried about you."

"Well, I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. So will you please stop crying now? I hate seeing handsome men cry." Sierra purred as she brushed away the lion's tears with her thumb, smiling softly.

A weary smile graced Leo's lips as well. "I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Taking Loke's hand in her own, Sierra intertwined her fingers with Loke and guided him further down the hall. All the while, Loke stared at the back of her head in a daze, his thoughts all swirling together in a massive whirlpool. However, despite all the chaos, one fact stood out to him as clear as day. "I love Sierra." he thought to himself. "I don't know how she managed to make me feel like this so quickly, but I can't deny it. I am in love with Sierra Lilica."

Meanwhile, Sierra was forcing herself not to squeal as her heart raced inside of her chest. Inside of her, reason and emotion argued violently, practically ripping her body in two.

"This is love! We love Leo!" one screamed.

"No we do not! Falling in love so quickly isn't possible! What we feel is not really love!" the other argued.

"But we've always loved Leo, haven't we? We have loved him since he comforted us that night when we met him!"

"Wrong! We liked Eve back then!"

"Lies! We turned to Eve because we didn't have a chance with Leo, but we never stopped loving him!"

"Then why did we blush when we got partnered with Eve all those years ago?"

"Because Leo-sama grew protective and made Eve promise not to hurt us or else! He showed he cared about us!"

"Did you just call him Leo-sama?!"

"Yes, I did! What are you going to do about it?!"

"Both of you shut up!" Sierra accidentally hissed aloud under her breathe.

Leo frowned, concerned by her outburst. "Sierra? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I just have a bit of a headache." Sierra replied, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Would you like me to carry you?"

"No, it's fine. That's my room right there." she panted, pointing a door a few feet away. "Would you get the door please though?"

"Of course!" Taking the room key from Sierra, Loke hastily unlocked the door and threw it open before ushering his friend inside.

"Arigatou." Sierra mumbled weakly before stumbling over to the bed and flopping down on top of it. "So soft..."

"I think you'd be a little more comfortable underneath the blankets rather than on top of them." Loke chuckled.

"Too tired. Don't want to move." Sierra muttered in reply, her eyes already closed. "Leo, will you tell me a story?"

"Sure, but you have to point out a constellation first."

Sierra groaned in annoyance. "Leo..."

"Come on, it's not that hard. Just point."

"Fine." Without looking, Sierra raised her hand and pointed at Loke. "There. Happy now?"

Chuckling some more, the Leader of the Zodiacs sat down on the edge of the bed. "I guess that's close enough. What story would you like to hear?"

"Tell me everything that happened to you while we were apart; don't leave out a single detail."

"Alright, but I don't want you straining yourself to stay awake if you can't make it through the whole story, understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright, then I guess it all started right after you ran off....."

\---------------------

Back in the grand dining room, everyone was beginning to finish up their meals. Natsu and Erza had returned, and the poor, bruised, pink-haired dragon-slayer hadn't said a word since, not that anyone was complaining.

"Aries, aren't you getting tired? You've been in the human world for a pretty long time; I don't want you draining yourself." Lucy frowned at her celestial spirit.

"I'm fine, I promise." Aries said, smiling brightly.

"You seem awfully happy." Gray mused. "Mind telling us what you're hiding?"

"-Actually Miss Lucy, I'm suddenly quite exhausted, so I'm going to go now. Bye!" Aries squeaked and dispersed in a puff of pink fluff.

"Hey! Get back here! You didn't answer my question!" Gray exclaimed.

"Gray, stop shouting. It's late." Erza grumbled as she stood up. "That being said, I think the rest of us should turn in for the night as well."

A chorus of weary agreements echoed from the table as the others slowly rose to their feet as well, and Natsu gently scooped a sleeping Happy up off of the table.

"Natsu. Carla. Fish...." the exceed mumbled in his sleep.

As the group headed out of the vast dining room and down the hallway, Kiyo could barely keep her eyes open and accidentally tripped over a small rug. As she began to fall, Laxus reached out and caught her before carefully scooping her up and placing her onto his back. With a soft grunt, the younger wizard wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and buried her face into in his coat, causing the man to smile.

As the group approached their rooms, Freed felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Hana walking beside him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I know it's late, but since we got interrupted earlier, I was hoping you could come to my room and teach me a few more letters before bed?" The Dragon Queen mumbled, blushing slightly as she stared at her feet.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Freed's mouth as he observed her rather sheepish behavior. "Eager to learn, are we? Very well. I can't say no to such a dedicated student."

A large grin spread across Hana's face, and she eagerly grabbed Freed's hand and guided him toward her room. Caught off-guard by the sudden physical contact, Freed felt his cheeks heat up and hastily put his head down so his hair covered his face. Luckily, the pinkish tint faded before Hana turned on the lights.

Inside the hotel room was a plush, queen-size bed with red, satin sheets and pillows the size of a large dog. Next to the bed was a nightstand with a ornate table lamp, and off in the far corner by a large window was a large, wooden desk with a cushioned bench large enough for three people. Hurrying over to said corner, Hana immediately sat down and scooted over so Freed to sit beside her. Lowering himself onto the bench, Freed removed a pen and some paper from one of the desk drawers and set it down before Hana. "Alright, for starters, I want you to rewrite the letter your learned earlier ten times without my help. If that goes well, then we'll move on to the next letter."

"Okay." As Hana picked up the pen, Freed watched as she adjusted it in her hand till she was holding it the way he had instructed her earlier, and he smiled to himself. Slowly, Hana lowered the tip of the pen to the paper and began to write. The first try was a little sloppy but not bad, and as she repeatedly drew the letter, Hana's lines got neater and neater. Once she was finished, she turned to Freed. "Is that good enough?"

"Yes, well done. Here is your next letter." Since he didn't have his book with him, Freed gently took Hana's paper and pen and scribbled the second letter at the top of the page before handing it back to her.

"Will you help me write it the first time?"

"Of course." Moving behind Hana again, Freed gently placed his hand overtop of her own and guided her movements as she wrote the second letter.

"Okay, I think I got it. What is the name of this letter and what sound does this letter make?"

Freed repeated the name and sound.

"Okay, and do you want me writing it twenty times again while saying the name and sound aloud?"

"Yes, that sounds good."

"Okay." Furrowing her eyebrows as she concentrated, Hana began to write the letter over and over again and muttering its name and sound softly to herself as Freed watched. Once she was done, she turned back to Freed, who nodded in approval and gave her the next letter. This process repeated for about an hour, but as Hana moved on to her sixth letter, Freed began to notice some changes in her demeanor. As she was repeating the letter aloud, she yawned a few times, and her handwriting was getting rather sloppy again.

"Hana, I think that enough for tonight." he stated, gently taking her pen and paper and setting it aside.

"Huh? Oh, okay." Hana mumbled sleepily, her eyes already halfway closed. She leaned against her teacher's frame, her head resting on his shoulders, and let her eyelids drop the rest of the way down. "Goodnight, Freed."

"Hana, wait! Don't fall asleep on top of me!" Freed exclaimed, but the Earth Dragon Slayer was sound asleep before he even opened his mouth. With a sigh, the green-haired mage slid out from behind his student and gently picked her up bridal style. 

"Crap, she's heavier than she looks." he thought to himself as he struggled to carry Hana over to the large bed. After pulling back the covers, Freed set her body down with a loud grunt and tucked her in. However, as he towered over her sleeping form, Freed's eyes wandered to Hana's long, brown hair, which was wildly sprawled out across the pillow.

"Hmm, her hair will be full of knots by morning if she sleeps with it loose like that." Gently turning Hana onto her side, Freed gingerly finger-combed her chocolate-colored tresses and then proceeded to to weave the strands into a neat braid. Satisfied, he removed a hair tie from his coat pocket and hastily fastened it around the end of the braid before covering Hana's shoulders with the blanket once more. "There, much better." Turning off the lights, Freed snuck one last glance at Hana's sleeping face before quietly creeping out the door and into the hallway, closing the door softly behind him.

"You llliiiiikkkkkeeee her." a voice mumbled behind him.

Whirling around, Freed found Happy standing behind him, a glass of what appeared to be warm milk in one paw and a sleepy but mischievous smile on his face.

"That's preposterous. Your tired mind is playing tricks on you and is making you delusional: you should get some sleep." he huffed in reply, turning away so the blue Exceed wouldn't see his red cheeks and hurrying down the hall to his own room. However, as he fiddled with the door knob, the image of Hana's sleeping face lingered in his mind.

"She looked so peaceful." he thought to himself. "She has a rather nice face shape too, and the way the faint rays of moonlight sneaking through the curtains made her skin glow was absolutely-Wait a minute! What the heck am I thinking?! Could Happy-Could Happy possibly be right?! Do I like Hana?"

"No, that's not possible. I'm just tired. Once I get some sleep, I'll be back to normal." Freed said to himself as he trudged over to his bed and laid down, not even bothering to remove his coat. However, as he closed his eyes, he could practically still feel Hana's hair wrapped around his fingers and hear her steady breathing as she slept.

"No, I'm not in love. The Exceed is wrong; he has to be wrong."

\------------------

At about two in the morning, when Sierra's subconscious sensed a presence beside her, it did not alert her of it, believing it to be Leo returning from the Celestial Spirit World to check on her. However, when a strong hand clamped over her mouth while another pinned her hands behind her back, the woman's eyes snapped open, and she instinctively began to thrash about. However, her captor did not let go.

"Miss Lilica, I would advice that you stop struggling. I  wish to avoid any unnecessary violence." A deep, chilling voiced stated from behind her.

"Who are you?"

"My names is Hades, the King of the Underworld."

"Did Ursa send you to kill me, Hades?" Sierra whispered hoarsely when Hades moved his hand.

"No, not this time. I am not here to harm you but rather to escort or abduct you depending on how you look at it. There is a member of Amazon Armor who wishes to speak with you." Hades replied dully.

"How do I know that this isn't a trap?"

"Trap or not, I was ordered not to give you much of a choice. So, will you please accompany me willing? I don't want to have to hurt you or anyone else."

"I don't want to hurt anyone...." Inside her chest, Sierra's heart filled with sympathy, and she stopped struggling. Hades did not have any grudge against her; he was merely following orders. Ursa and Amazon Armor were her enemies, but he was innocent.

"Very well. I assume I am to come alone?"

Hades nodded. "You are to leave your keys behind as well so they do not interrupt."

"Of course. Well, I kinda need my hands to remove my necklace..."

When Hades released her hands, Sierra hastily unfastened her necklace and slid it off of her neck. As she placed it under her pillow, she noticed all of them starting to glow.

"Hey, calm down. I promise that I won't be long. Please just stay here. If I don't come back in an hour or so, then you can come after me, okay?"

At first, nothing changed, but after a moment of two, the keys stopped shimmering.

"Thank you." Sierra whispered before gently setting the pillow down on top of the necklace before returning to Hades's side.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Alright, do not let go of me." The Grecian King of the Underworld stated as he wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled her to his chest. As the two began to sink into the shadows at their feet, Sierra gripped Hades's shoulders and closed her eyes. A sensation like cool fog slowly enveloped her body, and the air seemed thin like on top of a mountain. As chilly currents of air rushed past her, Sierra continued to cling to Hades until they stopped moving and the air around her returned to a normal temperature. 

Slowly opening her eyes, Sierra found herself and Hades standing along a beach. On one side, the ocean stretched out for many miles and on the other, menacing looking woods loomed, their branches reaching out toward her like gnarled hands and desiring to drag her into their clutches and devour her whole. Definitely not a safe place to travel through during the night.

"If you're looking to escape, running along the beach is your best bet. This bay is a popular nursery for sharks, and the woods are full of nasty predators." Ursa stated as she slid off of the rock on which she was perched and approached them.

"Why would I try to escape? I came here of my own free will." Sierra replied curtly. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get this done as quickly as possible so I can get back to my comrades."

"Oh, I promise you, this won't take long. Follow me." Ursa stated, turning on her heels and striding down the beach. Sierra reluctantly followed, the waves licked it her bare feet as she walked. Overhead, the stars twinkled brightly, and a fresh, salty sea breeze blew through Sierra's hair. Up ahead stood a collection of large boulders, and Sierra could faintly make out the silhouette of someone sitting atop the tallest one. As they drew closer, the figure's features began to grow clearer. Sitting on the large rock was a tall, sturdily-built young woman with long, jet black hair and dark, emotionless eyes. She was clothed in a long, sleeveless coat, and underneath, Sierra's eye caught the faint glimmer of golden armor. Clutched in the woman's hand was a long, narrow sword, which she appeared to be sharpening with a small stone, and around her waist was a belt adorned with throwing knives, hand grenades, and other smaller weapons.

"Master, I've brought Miss Lilica as you requested." Ursa stated whilst bowing respectfully to the woman on top of the rock.

"I can see that, Ursa; I'm not blind." the woman spat, not looking up from her blade.

"I'm sorry, Lady Hippolyta, I did not mean to insult you." Ursa mumbled, bowing again.

"Just shut up and stand watch by the woods." snapped Hippolyta as she slid down off of her stone.

"Yes ma'am." Ursa whispered before shuffling off.

Now that she was standing up, Sierra quickly realized how tall Hippolyta actually was; the woman had to be six feet tall! Compared to Sierra, she looked like giant!

"Hades, you may leave as well." Hippolyta stated.

"Yes, Lady Hippolyta." Hades bowed and then sank back into the shadows.

Turning her attention to Sierra, the Amazon Armor guild master scanned the girl from head to toe. "So, you're the infamous Celestial Wizard that Ursa won't stop complaining about? I was honestly expecting someone a bit taller. Also, I envisioned you as a redhead." she stated whilst reaching out and running her fingers through Sierra's long hair.

"Geez, does this woman know anything about personal space?" Sierra thought as she took a step back. "Can we please just cut to the chase?"

"As you wish, Miss Lilica."

"That isn't my name. My name is Sierra Starling."

"You never got your name legally changed, so technically speaking, you're the one who's wrong."

Sierra took another unsteady step back, "How do you know that? Are you done creepy stalker or something?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I had Ursa use Hades to 'persuade' a magic cross to look into your background. I like to know as much about my opponents as possible."

"Yep, you're definitely a stalker."

"Your attempts at humoring me are in vain, wench. Humiliating my guild by itself alone is a crime punishable by death, but withholding something that rightfully belongs to us is utterly unforgivable!" Hippolyta hissed, her eyes narrowing into slits.

Sierra's jaw clenched tightly as her blood began to boil. "Hana isn't a something! She's a person with her own free will, not a piece of property-"

A loud smack echoed through the air, followed by the stinging of Sierra's cheek where Hippolyta had struck her. "You are in no place to lecture me on that subject, Celestial Wizard! You manipulate others like puppets to do your bidding on a daily basis!"

"I don't manipulate them! We have a partnership, a contract, that both parties enter of their own free will! I treat every spirit I own with respect, and I consider their feelings and wellbeing whenever I make a decision. I don't treat my spirits like servants; I treat them like comrades-"

"Liar!" screamed Hippolyta as she hit Sierra again. "You Celestial wizards are all the same! You say you'll treat us equally and promise to play nice, but once the contracts are made, you torture and torment us like livestock! You're a liar, just like him and every other Celestial wizard that has ever existed!"

"Us?" Sierra's eyes widened. "You mean you're a....."

Realizing she had said too much, Hippolyta cursed and turned her back to the other woman. "That isn't your concern."

"But if you're a celestial spirit, then who is your-"

"I SAID IT ISN'T ANY OF YOUR CONCERN, SO SHUT UP-" Hippolyta roared, but Sierra cut her off.

"Are you banished? Are you stuck here-"

With a demonic war cry, Hippolyta lunged for Sierra, tackling her onto the sand. Pinning the blonde wizard beneath her, the Amazon raised a dagger above her head, her eyes swirling with bloodlust and rage.

"I want to kill you right now. I was to gouge out your eyes and slit your throat. I want to cut you open and stab you in the heart." she hissed angrily. However, she slowly returned the dagger to its place on her belt. "But at the moment, I need you, so that will have to wait."

"What makes you think that I'll do anything to help you?" Sierra spat.

"This." Reaching into the pocket of her coat, Hippolyta removed a rolled up piece of parchment. The paper was slightly worn, sporting a slight yellowish tint and stiff edges. Slowly, the dark mage began to unfurl the paper, revealing a picture of Leo plastered on the page with the word WANTED written in bold letters above his head. Below the picture, a reward was promised to whoever caught the celestial spirit, and signed in the corner of the paper was a name that Sierra had never wanted to see again: The Collector.

 

"Where-Where did you get that?" she practically whispered as she stared at the paper in horror. "Those posters were taken down a year later by Blue Pegasus."

"Some of us dark guilds tend to be hoarders when it comes to old requests, and this time, it seems to be paying off." Hippolyta smirked.

"Please, you can't! Leo's innocent! What about everything you just said about using spirits and-" Sierra began to protest but was cut off by Hippolyta's hand covering her mouth.

"I don't care if he's innocent! I don't care if he is my own kind! I vowed to never again let anyone push me around, and your guild interfered! I want revenge on Fairy Tail for violating me, and I will have it!" Hippolyta screeched. Her lips twisted into a psychotic grin. "And if you value your lion friend's life, you are going to help me."

"If I value Leo's life...." Tears began to well up in Sierra's eyes. "But if I hurt Fairy Tail, Leo will never forgive me."

"Then you better hope that he doesn't find out." Hippolyta hissed as she slid off of Sierra. "Now, do we have a deal?"

"Even though I only just joined Fairy Tail, I already love everyone there. I can't bear the thought of hurting them....." Sierra thought as her heart ached. "But I can't let Leo be handed over to The Collector; I just can't."

"I'll repeat myself again. Miss Sierra Lilica, do we have a deal?" Hippolyta pestered.

"....Yes, we have a deal." Sierra heard her heart shatter inside of her chest as she spoke, and big, crocodile tears slid down her cheeks. Meanwhile, Hippolyta's wicked sneer grew even wider, making her resemble the Cheshire Cat.

"Wonderful. Here is your first assignment. Look it over and then burn it immediately after." Hippolyta stated, handing Sierra a sliver of paper. Twirling a strand of Sierra's long locks around her finger, she added, "Let's see how much you like being owned by someone else."

"Milady?"

Hippolyta turned to see Hades standing a few yards away, his head bowed respectfully.

"What is it?"

"It has been almost an hour. If Miss Lilica is not returned to her room soon, her spirits will come looking for her."

"Very well. Take her back then. You get a good night's sleep, Sierra; you have a lot of work to get done tomorrow." Hippolyta taunted her new servant one last time before walking off along the beach.

The entire ride home, Sierra was silent, staring down at the little piece of paper in her hand.

"I'm sorry." Hades whispered as they materialized in her apartment. 

"It's not your fault." Sierra replied hollowly, not looking up.

"Yes, it is. I was the one sent to spy on you, and I'm the one who told her about Leo. It is my fault, and I'm so so sorry." Hades whimpered, bowing so low that his face almost touched the ground.

"You couldn't refuse your orders." Sierra stated dully. "You didn't have a choice."

"That doesn't mean that I don't feel guilty." Hades replied. "I must go now or else Ursa will be cross with me. Goodnight, Miss Starling."

"Goodnight, Hades." Sierra mumbled halfheartedly as the god disappeared into the shadows. Sitting down on her bed, Sierra opened the note, read through the instructions carefully, and then refolded the piece of paper. Heading over to the fireplace, she inserted the piece of paper securely under the logs where no one else would see it and left it there to be burned by someone else. As she sat back down on the bed, the gravity of what she had to do finally set in, and a fresh wave of tears leaked down her face.

"Everyone, I'm so so sorry."


	14. Chapter 14

"Guys, can you please walk a little slower? Sierra still can't keep up." Lucy said, glancing over her shoulder at the blonde stumbling several yards behind the rest of the group.

"Lucy, I'm walking at the pace of a turtle. I can't go any slower!" Natsu exclaimed.

"I could break your leg so you have to limp the entire way home. I'm sure that would slow you down." Hana hissed, her eyes narrowing at the pink-haired boy, causing him to gulp nervously. The Dragon Queen was a little cranky due to being woken up so early that morning.

Laxus pinched the bridge of his nose. "I think we just need to take a break and rest."

"But we're almost back to the guild-" Evergreen tried to protest, but a harsh glance from Laxus silenced her.

"We're resting." he practically growled. "End of discussion."

 

No one else argued. Shuffling to the side of the road, they settled down amongst a cluster of trees, the green foliage of their branches sheltering the group from the sun's harsh rays and enveloping them in a cool blanket of shade.

"Uh, guys? Sierra isn't stopping." Natsu said, pointing at the blonde who continued to amble down the road. "Oi Sierra! You can take a break; we're stopping for now."

"Huh? Oh, okay..." Sierra turned and began shuffling over to the rest of the group, but some tree roots stretching out into the road caught her foot, tripping her. Fortunately, a pair of strong arms scooped her up when her face was only inches away from the ground. Turning to face her savior, Sierra was temporarily by the bright sun shining high above, but she could just make at the shape of a familiar silhouette. "Leo?"

"Honestly, what would you do without me?" Loke purred with a grin as he carried the blonde into the shade. Sitting beneath a large oak, he cradled her in his lap, gently brushing her long fringe out of her eyes and behind her ear. "I thought I told you to go to sleep, you naughty girl."

"I did!" Sierra protested weakly as her eyelids drooped. "You saw me!"

"Well, it's quite obvious that you didn't stay asleep. Why?"

Sierra's heartbeat quickened; she had stupidly forgotten to prepare a lie ahead of time.

"I-I had a nightmare." she blurted out before she thought about her answer. Quickly realizing how childish she sounded, she hung her head shamefully.

Loke's lips twisted down into a frown. "A nightmare? Why didn't you call me then?"

"I-I didn't want to bother you with something so pathetic." Sierra replied sheepishly. A loud squeak of surprise escaped from her lips as Loke suddenly grabbed hold of her chin and forced her to look up at him, but the compassionate light shining in his eyes caused her to relax.

"Sierra, being afraid isn't pathetic; it's natural. If something frightens you, no matter what it is, you can come to me, and I will stay with you until you feel safe once more. Next time this happens, I want you to call for me the minute you wake up, understand?"

Sierra nodded. "Thank you, Leo."

"You're welco-" Loke began to reply when something peeking out between the luscious locks framing Sierra's face caught the corner of his eye. Gently, he moved the hair aside to find a big, ugly, bluish purple bruise staring up at him from Sierra's temple. "What's this?!"

Sierra cursed internally. She should've worn concealer today. "What's what?"

"You have a huge bruise on you face!"

"I do?"

"Yes! Are you telling me that you don't feel it?"

"No, I don't." Another lie. Ever since being smacked repeatedly by Hippolyta the night before, Sierra's bruises had throbbed painfully, making it impossible for her to forget about them.

Worry lines adorned Loke's forehead so that it resembled a recently plowed field. "Where did you get these?"

"I-I-When I woke up from my nightmare, my discoordination caused me to fall out of bed, and I hit the floor. I must have got it then." Sierra said, praying Loke would believe her.

"It's quite swollen. You should put some ice on it when we get back to the guild." the Zodiac stated simply as he let Sierra's hair fall back into place overtop of the bruise. "You know what this means though, don't you?"

Sierra tilted her head, a confused expression on her face. " I don't believe I do."

"Well, in order to make sure that you don't injure yourself an further while sleeping, I'll have to watch you."

Sierra's cheeks heated up, giving them a nice rosy color that complemented her pale skin. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Loke purred whilst stroking her cheek affectionately.

"Artemis would never let you-"

"To heck with Artemis. She isn't the boss of me!"

Artemis's key suddenly began to glow.

"I think she heard you." Sierra whispered.

"I don't care."

"You should. She could easily take you down."

"Still don't care."

"Why not?"

"Because the only thing I care about right now is you." 

Sierra's heart skipped a beat. "Me?"

"Yes you. You're my best friend, and as such, I need to protect you so you don't get taken away from me.

"His best friend." Those three words managed to fill Sierra's chest with pride and crush her heart in tiny pieces all at once. For one, she was honored that Leo cared for her that deeply, but at the same time, she wished he cared for her even more than that. "I don't want to just be his friend though. I want to be his..I want to be his...."

"Sierra."

At the sound of her name, the blonde looked up to see Laxus towering over her. "Yes?"

"The others are getting a little antsy; if we don't get moving soon, I'm worried Hana and Natsu will try to tear each other apart. Do you feel well enough to walk now?" he inquired.

"Oh, sure! Let's go." Sierra replied, rolling off of Loke's lap. However, as soon as she stood up, the world began spinning before her eyes, and her head assumed the weight of a feather. Her legs immediately gave out from beneath her, but fortunately, Loke was prepared and caught her again.

"Easy Doll, don't push yourself." he cooed softly in her ear. "I'll carry you back to the guild, so you just close your eyes and rest, okay?"

Normally, Sierra would have argued, but the grogginess she was experiencing reduced her to complying without an issue. Once Loke was down on his knees, she slipped onto his back, looped her arms around his neck, and closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. Smiling softly to himself, Loke stood up, his hands wrapped securely around Sierra's legs to keep her from falling, and carried her over to the rest of the group.

"We're going." Laxus announced. "Hurry up or you'll get left behind."

Kiyo eyed Sierra on Loke's back. "Will she be okay?"

Loke nodded.

"That looks kinda fun..." Kiyo said sheepishly. Turning to Laxus, she asked. "Can I ride on your back?"

The question caught Laxus offguard. "Pardon?"

"Kiyo, what are you, two years old? You don't need a piggyback ride." Evergreen snapped at the younger girl.

Kiyo's lip quivered. "B-But-"

"Geez, Ever, chill out. What's wrong with a piggyback ride?" Bickslow asked.

"Chill out! Chill out!" his dolls echoed.

"Piggyback rides are for children, Bickslow! Kiyo isn't a child!" Evergreen replied.

Bickslow frowned. "Sierra isn't either."

"But she isn't well! That's a totally different story."

"So you're saying that only kids or sick people should get piggybacks rides?"

"Yes."

Bickslow's smile doubled in size. "Okay." He immediately turned to Kiyo. "Gee, Kiyo, you probably shouldn't stand so close to me. I think I'm get si-si-" And with that, Bickslow pretended to sneeze on the younger mage whilst grinning like an idiot.

Kiyo immediately caught on to his plan. "Bickslow! Now I'm gonna get si-si-," she stopped and fake sneezed. With a loud, fake moan, she turned to Laxus and stared up at him with half-closed eyes. "Laxus, I don't feel so good. Will you give me a piggyback ride back to the guild."

Laxus couldn't help but chuckle at their antics. "Of course. It would be rude of me to make a suffering little girl walk home. Hop on."

Kiyo grinned and hastily scrambled onto the blonde man's back, wrapped her arms around his neck. "Arigatou, Laxus. I hope I don't get you sick too."

Laxus merely chuckled.

Meanwhile, off to the side, Freed was smiling in amusement at the child and his leader when suddenly he felt himself being lifted off the ground. Looking down, he saw a pair of sparkling green eyes staring up at him.

Bickslow laughed. "Look at Freed!" he exclaimed, pointing at his comrade perched atop the Dragon Queen's shoulders.

"Hana, what are you doing?! I'm not sick!" the green-haired mage shrieked as his cheeks turned bright red. 

"No, but since you stayed up so late, you're at risk of collapsing too. I can't let you hurt yourself!"

"You stayed up as late as I did! What about your own health?!"

"You two stayed up late together? Sounds juicy." Bickslow sang smugly.

"Juicy! Juicy!" his little dolls sang.

"I was just helping her study! Nothing more!" Freed snapped before turning back to Hana. "Hana, please put me down. I don't want you to faint either."

"Don't worry about me, Freed. I'm a big girl who can take care of herself."

For some reason, those words rubbed Freed the wrong way. While he knew it wasn't intentional, he felt like Hana was mocking him. What Bickslow said next certainly didn't help either.

"You should listen to her, Freed; you don't look like you feel too well. Your cheeks are all red. Just let Hana take care of you."

Freed bit his lip. That was the last straw. "Hana, put me down." He growled venomously.

"Nope, not happening." The Dragon Queen replied, oblivious to Freed's irritated tone.

"Hana, you will put me down."

"No I will not."

"Hana, I will not ask you again: Put. Me. Down."

"No! What part of that don't you understand? I don't want you getting hurt."

Freed ground his teeth angrily. "I won't get hurt, Hana! I'm not a bloody child! I'm fully capable of taking care of myself, so I don't need you to do it for me! Now put me down!"

"But-"

"I SAID PUT ME DOWN!!!"

For a moment, Hana simply stared up at Freed with a blank expression. However, her gaze quickly hardened, and in one quick movement, she shoved Freed off her shoulders, causing him to fall on his butt on the dirt floor.

"Ouch! What was that for?!" he yelped, rubbing his throbbing rear.

Hana glared at him over her shoulder. "You said you wanted me to put you down."

Freed clenched his jaw, but as he prepared to snap back at her, something in her eyes caught his gaze. Swimming amongst all the anger and irritation in her green irises was a small trace of...hurt? However, before he could conduct a further analysis, the Dragon Queen turned her face away from him with a loud huff.

"If you faint on the way home, I'm not dragging you the rest of the way." she stated simply before stalking off to the head of the group.

"Wow, man. That was harsh. She was just trying to have some fun with you." Bickslow stated, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Harsh! Harsh!" his little wooden entourage chastised Freed.

Guilt immediately started tugging on Freed's heartstrings like a harp. Hana's goal hadn't been to insult or belittle him. She had simply wanted to amuse him with her silly antics, but he had been so petty that he completely missed her intentions and snapped at her, believing that she was challenging his pride.

"Well, why are you just standing there!" Bickslow exclaimed. "Go apologize!"

"Apologize! Apologize!" his dolls shrieked as they flew behind Freed and began to push him forward.

Freed shot an angry glare over his shoulder at his teammate. If Bickslow had kept his fat mouth shut, the green-haired mage would have likely remained in control of his temper. "I could blame my actions on him, but what good will that do?"

Before he knew it, the dolls had pushed Freed up behind Hana. Sheepishly, he reached out and tapped her shoulder. "Uh, Hana? Look I'm really s-"

Hana shot the green-haired Mage one look then sped up till she was a safe ten feet in front of him.

Freed sighed. This was going to be fun.

\---------------------------

As soon as the group reached the entrance to the guild hall, Hana broke away and headed off by herself. Freed groaned in frustration.

"Give her some time to cool off, Freed. I'm sure once she has settled down that she'll be more willing to listen to you." Evergreen stated.

"I hope so."

"Can we go inside please? I'm hungry." Kiyo whined.

"You don't say? I thought your stomach was growling because you were tired." Laxus smirked.

"Haha, very funny."

The group headed into the guild but froze as soon as they crossed the threshold. Sitting at the bar were three men, all adorned in fine suits and practically radiating sparkles.

"The Trimens? What are you guys doing here?" Lucy asked.

"Hello everyone, it has been awhile." Hibiki smiled. "I'm glad to see you're all well."

Eve glanced up at Laxus's shoulders. "Laxus-san, I was not aware that you had a little sister."

"I don't."

"Then who is this lovely young lady atop your shoulders?"

"A close friend."

"Well, hello dear. I'm-"

"Eve Tearm. You're Eve Tearm!" Kiyo squeaked. Her eyes were full of excitement, and she could barely contain the excited squeal currently lodged in her throat.

Eve smiled. "So you've heard of me?" 

Kiyo nodded, barely able to breathe. "You're part of the Trimens. I'm a big fan of yours, Ren's, and Hibiki's."

"Hey! I thought you said you were my fan!" Natsu exclaimed.

"I am; I just a fan of them as well."

Hibiki chuckled then turned to Loke. "I haven't seen you in awhile, lion. Who's your friend?"

Loke stiffened and began backing towards the door. "No one you would know. We were actually just leaving-"

"Leo, is everything okay? You're really tense. Sierra murmured, raising her head and opening one sleepy eye.

Hibiki nearly dropped his glass. The girl clinging to Loke's back looked so familiar. "Those eyes...those eyes are Karen's eyes. But Karen is dead, and she wasn't a blonde anyways. Wait, could it be...."

"Sierra?" His lips could barely pronounce the name.

Ren and Eve immediately followed Hibiki's gaze. Their jaws dropped. "Sierra?!?!"

Sierra looked up, and a large lump formed in her throat. "Hibiki? Ren? Eve?"

The three boys broke into a grin. There was no doubt left in their minds. "Sierra!" they exclaimed and moved toward the girl in a mighty surge.

Sierra yelped in fright and practically fell off of Loke's back. Spinning around, she tried to run, but Hibiki grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her into a hug. Eve and Ren swarmed her as well, wrapping their arms around her and creating a little Trimen cocoon around her.

"You're alright. Oh, thank goodness you're alright." Hibiki blubbered with tears in his eyes as he stroked Sierra's long, blonde tresses.

Sierra didn't move. "I-I don't understand. Why didn't you yell at me the minute you saw me? Why are you so happy to see me? Aren't you mad at me?"

Hibiki frowned. "What are you talking about? Why would you be mad at you?"

"Because I couldn't save Karen! Don't you blame me for her death?" Tears began to spill down Sierra's cheeks.

"Of course not! Why would we blame you?! That makes no sense! We were worried sick when you vanished. Karen may have been our friend, but so were you." Hibiki explained as he wiped away her tears.

Sierra's lip quivered. "I-I missed you guys too. I missed you all so much!" With that, she buried her face into Hibiki's jacket and sobbed uncontrollably as Ren, Eve, and Hibiki held her tight.

Loke bit his lip as he watched reunion. This should have made him happy, but instead, he felt irritated. However, it wasn't because he didn't think the Trimens were sincere; it was because they had their arms all over her. It really made him upset.

Once Sierra's wailing subsided, Hibiki wiped her eyes again and tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear. "We must celebrate this moment; tonight, we shall throw a party here at Fairy Tail and rejoice that we have found our lost friend."

"Wait, why here? Why not host a party at your own guild hall?" Gray asked.

"Because Master Bob will throw a fit. Now, Mirajane, do you have some supplies we can use?"

The white-haired woman nodded. "There's a closet full of things in the back of the guild. If you want, I can take you back there no, and we can get started."

"Sounds great." Hibiki smiled at Sierra. "I'll see you later. Oh, and Sierra?"

"Yeah?"

"You've grown up to be quite gorgeous." Hibiki winked.

Sierra blushed. "A-Arigatou."

Although no one else heard it, Loke released a low, threatening growl.

"Wait, Hibiki, you never answered my question! Why were you guys originally here?" Lucy asked.

"Oh yeah, that. Christina's scans have been picking up on a lot of activity from a certain dark guild, and judging by the current direction of their movements, they're heading this way? We thought we should warn you."

"Wow, thanks. What dark guild?"

"It was called Amazon Armor, I believe."

Everyone fell silent, and just like that, all the warmth Sierra had been feeling since Hibiki's embrace was drained from her body.

\------------------

After finally convincing Loke to go back to the Celestial Spirit World, Sierra made her way over to her corner of Lucy's apartment and sat down by the window. Hana wasn't there, so she was probably out wandering the woods somewhere, not that Sierra minded the peace and quiet. Grabbing a pillow and blanket, she curled up on the padded window ledge and closed her eyes. However, about five minutes later, a strong breeze tore the blanket away. The annoyed blonde opened one sleepy eye and glared at the figure looming over her. "Hermes, what the heck?"

"Oops, sorry!" Hermes said, hastily snatching up the blanket and returning it to his master's shoulders.

"Thank you. Now what is it?"

"I have a message for you from our....special party." the messenger stated, holding up a large envelope.

Sierra groaned and snatched up the letter. "What else could she possibly have to say?" she grumbled under her breath as she opened the envelope and removed its contents.

Sierra,

Change of plans. I want that job done tonight. That shouldn't be a problem, right? Also, actually burn the letter this time. I wasn't happy to find the last one still intact in the fireplace. Remember, Leo's life is in your hands, so don't be careless.

"Sierra, what's wrong?" Hermes asked when he noticed the color fading from her cheeks.

As she stared down at the letter, a mixture of different emotions whirled around inside of Sierra. Anger, sadness, fear: it all boiled and bubbled inside of her as she grasped the paper in her trembling hands.

"Hermes. Get Athena. We need to change the plan."

\-----------------

Hearing the storage room door open behind her, Mirajane glanced over her shoulder to see Freed standing behind here. "What's the matter?" she asked him when she noticed his long face.

"Mira, I need you help."


	15. Chapter 15

To say that the Trimens knew how to party was an understatement; with a little help from Mirajane and Lisanna, they had the entire guild hall decorated and all the food prepared in no time. When Sierra walked through the front door, her jaw dropped in astonishment.

"You guys did all this for me?" she gasped as her cheeks flushed. "This-This is too much! I'm not worth all this fuss!"

"Don't say that, Sierra-chan! You more than deserve this!" Eve exclaimed.

"Even if you're a fairy now, you'll always be considered a member of the Blue Pegasus family." Ren smiled.

"And as such, you deserve only the best." Hibiki finished, holding out his hand politely. "Now, please allow me to be your escort for the evening-"

"What?! No fair, Hibiki! I wanted to do it!" Eve whined.

"Sorry Eve, but as Karen's former lover, it is my duty and pleasure to escort her cousin." Hibiki replied.

"Just because you were closer with Karen doesn't mean you get special privileges, Hibiki!"

"Maybe I should be her escort since you two are arguing about it." Ren butted in with a smirk.

"No way! I'm going to do it!" Hibiki and Eve chorused.

Sierra bit her lip as she watched the three argue, unsure of what do, when she suddenly felt a presence behind her.

"Since you all seem to have forgotten your manners when in the presence of a lady, I believe it is only fair that I escort Sierra this evening. Will that be a problem?" Loke stated flatly, wrapping his arm around Sierra's hips and pulling her closer to him. 

The Trimens all prepared to argue with him, but the minute they noticed the look in the Zodiac's eyes, their tongues turned to lead in their mouths. His icy stare reminded them of a mighty lion guarding his den; any animal foolish enough to come too close to what was his would suffer. Biting their lips, they hurriedly shook their heads before spinning on their heels and scampering off as fast as they could, practically tripping over each other as they desperately tried to get as far away from the celestial spirit as possible.

Sierra frowned as she watched the trio disappear into the crowd. "What has gotten into them?"

"I don't know, but it hardly matters. Whatever it is, they'll be fine." Loke muttered. Flashing his signature, heart melting smile, he held to his arm dutifully and said, "Now, how about we go get you something to eat? This feast is in your honor after all."

"I guess I do feel a little peckish...okay, let's go!" Sierra purred, linking her arm with the Zodiac's and allowing him to guide her through the crowded guild hall.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the building, Freed was lounging on a large, plush sofa, a giant package tucked under one arm. Despite his relaxed appearance, he was actually quite alert, attentively watching the front doors of the hall and waiting for a specific face to appear.

"Where is she? This party is in her friend's honor, so why isn't she here yet?" he frowned. "Perhaps I should go look a for her; something might have happened."

Not wasting a moment, Freed rose to his feet and hurried to the guild entrance. However, just as he opened the door to leave, a figure shuffled through and bumped into him.

"Oops, I'm sorr-Hana, thank goodness!" Freed exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "I was starting to worry that you wouldn't come."

Hana cocked a quizzical eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I? Sierra's my friend. Also, why do you care?"

"I...wanted to apologize. Snapping at you earlier was inappropriate and ill-mannered of me. I'm...sorry." Taking the large package from under his arm, he gingerly handed it to Hana. "Please accept this gift as part of my apology."

Hana stared up at Freed in surprise, her jaw hanging open slightly. Unsure of what else to do, she opened the box and peered inside.

"It's a book...." Hana bit her lip. She wasn't ungrateful for the gift, but had Freed truly put that much thought behind it? He knew she couldn't read, yet he gave her a book?

Freed noticed Hana's puzzled expression and chuckled. "It's a workbook. If I'm unable to meet with you but you want to continue your lessons, you use this book to learn them on your own."

"Oh...Thank you." Hana stated, trying to sound cheerful. "How thoughtful of you."

"You're wondering how you're supposed to learn if you can't read the book, aren't you?"

Hana nodded.

"Well, that's what these are for." Reaching into the box, Freed lifted up the book to reveal two lacrimas hidden underneath. "I put recordings on these lacrimas to help you."

A large lump materialized in Hana's throat. "Freed, I...I don't know how to use a lacrima either." she practically whispered, her cheeks glowing red with shame. When she was with Terran in the wild, lacrimas served no purpose, so she was never taught to use one. Nowadays, Sierra and Kiyo always handled anything lacrima-related, so Hana never needed to learn either. She wished she had.

"I figured that you might not, so the first lacrima is actually a guide about how to use one. The second lacrima has your lessons on it."

Tears sprang to Hana's eyes as her lip began to quiver. "Freed, I don't know what to say. This is so sweet and thoughtful. I-I don't deserve these gifts after the way I treated you."

"Neither of us behaved properly earlier, but I was hoping we both could just forgive, forget, and move forward. Does that sound okay?" Freed smiled gently.

Hana nodded and, after setting down her present, wrapped him in a hug. "Thank you."

The green-haired mage patted Hana's head affectionately. "Now, shall we go join the festivities?" 

"Actually, could you teach me another letter first since I didn't have a lesson today?" she asked hopefully, her eyes sparkling.

Freed chuckled at her child-like enthusiasm. "Oh course. I could never turn down such an eager student." he purred. Grabbing her hand and the box, he guided Hana over to the plush couch and sat down. Removing the workbook from the package's maw, he set it down on the table, opened it, and handed the Dragon Queen a pen. "Alright, so this is where we left off...."

Back on the other side of the guild, Sierra was sitting at a table with Loke, happily munching away at the food on her plate, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Turning, she found Eve standing behind her.

"Oh, hey Eve, what can I do for you?" she smiled sweetly.

Eve blushed and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to apologize to you, Sierra-chan. Hibiki, Ren, and I behaved quite poorly earlier, treating you as if you were a prize to be won rather than a person. We should have just asked you who you wanted your escort to be or if you even wanted an escort at all. I hope you will forgive us." Removing his other hand from behind his back, he held out a single red rose for the blonde woman.

Sierra gasped and gently took the flower from him. "Eve, this is beautiful!"

"You're far prettier." Eve mumbled sheepishly.

Now it was Sierra's turn to blush. "T-T-Thank you."

As he watched the scene before him, Loke felt a hot, bubbling sensation stirring in the pit of his stomach and slowly inching its way up his body. A voice at the back of his mind told him he should be happy for Sierra, but how could he? Eve was flirting with HIS Sierra right in front of him. That was something he couldn't just ignore. Someone was challenging him for his lioness, and he was not going to give her up without a fight.

"Eve, I thought you Trimens said that you thought of Sierra as family." he purred coolly with his signature smug smile plastered on his face.

Eve frowned at him. "We did."

"Then why are you giving her a rose?"

"Roses are her favorite flower, are they not?"

"She likes roses, but Stargazer lilies are actually her favorite. Anyone who sees her as family should know that."

Eve's cheeks burned. "I-I had no idea-"

"Also, that rose looks rather shriveled and wilted. What happened to Sierra deserving only the best?" Loke continued slyly.

Sierra glanced at the celestial spirit over her shoulder. "Leo, stop it. The flower is fi-"

"No, he's right! The flower is wilted! Please allow me grab you another one!" Eve exclaimed, snatching the rose out of her hand. After one uneasy glance in Loke's direction, the youngest member of the Trimens hastily spun on his heels and ran off. 

Loke chuckled softly to himself as he watched the younger man disappear. "That's it, little boy, run away with your tail between your legs. You don't stand a chance against me-"

"Ahem! Care to explain what that was all about?"

Loke was brought back to reality and found Sierra scowling at him, her arms folded over her chest. "Uh oh."

"I'm waiting." Sierra stated flatly, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Play it cool, Loke." the Zodiac coached himself. Curving his lips into a confident smile, he purred calmly, "I was just holding him accountable, sweetheart."

"No, you were humiliating him. How would you feel if you gave me a rose, something I also like, instead of a Stargazer lily and Eve harassed you about it?"

"Doll, I would never make a mistake like that."

"That's isn't the point!" Sierra exclaimed, her hands clenching into fists as they hung at her sides. "Are you the reason the Trimens ran off earlier as well?"

"If I were them, I would want to hide too after behaving so atrociously in front of a woman."

"That isn't an answer, Leo!" the blonde woman snapped, frustrated. "Honestly, what's going on with you? You were acting all sweet and kind earlier today, but the minute the Trimens showed up, you turned into a massive jerk..." Sierra's voice trailed off, and her brows pinched together as she bit her lip, her eyes staring at something yet nothing at the same time.

Loke's stomach twisted itself into a giant pretzel, and a nervous gulp escaped from his mouth. Sierra only made that look when she was thinking hard.

Suddenly, Sierra's head snapped up, and she gave the Zodiac a sly smile as her eyes twinkled. The tangled knot that used to be the celestial spirit's insides sprouted legs and ran for the hills, abandoning Loke to face this woman by himself.

"You're jealous." Sierra whispered. 

Loke's heart leaped into his throat. "Crap."

"N-N-No I'm not."

"You're lying."

"I'm not jealous!"

"Then explain to me why you've been acting funny ever since Hibiki, Eve, and Ren showed up."

Loke said nothing and stared at the floor. Gently grasping the boy's chin between her thumb and forefinger, Sierra forced him to meet her eyes. Rather than being full of anger, her chocolate brown orbs shimmered with a warm, kind light that made Loke's heart hammer loudly in his chest.

"Why Leo? Do you still not realize how much you mean to me? If nine years can't come between us then neither can three boys in one night. After the party, Eve, Ren, and Hibiki will all go back to their own guild, and you'll have me all to yourself, okay? There's no reason for you to feel jealous. Nothing will take away my love for you." Pulling her friend into a warm hug, Sierra placed a gentle peck on his cheek.

Loke's body was on emotional overload. "She said she loves me! But wait, what kind of love? Romantic love? Love as a friend? Brotherly love! And was that kiss just a friendly peck or something more." Before he could decide, the Zodiac's daze was broken by Sierra pulling back and looking him dead in the eye.

"Now will you please try and get along with the Trimens tonight? For me?" 

Loke gazed deep into her eyes and felt his heart softening. Mustering a gentle smile, he took the girl's hand and kissed it. "Only for you."

"Good. Now go find the Trimens and apologize."

Loke gazed up at her with big, pleading eyes, his lips curved into a cute pout. "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Don't disappear while I'm gone."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You better not. I don't know if I'd be able to handle losing you again. Be back in a flash, doll." With that, the Zodiac spun on his heels and slipped off into the crowd.

As Sierra watched him go, her insides were devoured by guilt's hungry maw. Glancing at a the clock on the wall, she realized she only had a minute left. "I'm so sorry about this, everyone. I apologize specifically to you, Loke; I'm sorry for what I'm about to put you through. I promise to only be gone a short while, so please be strong for me. I-I love you."

The clock chimed loudly, and on cue, all the lights in the guild went out.

"What's this?!" one voice called from the darkness.

"What's going on?!" another exclaimed.

"Everybody, please just calm down." Loke's stated calmly. His body began to glow with a bright yellow light,  illuminating everything within five to seven feet of him. "Natsu, we could use some fire."

"On it."

"Sierra, could you call Apollo?"

"Uh, sure." Reaching slowly for her necklace, Sierra took quick shallow breaths as she waited apprehensively. Any minute now.

"Now, does anyone know what's going on-" Natsu began but broke off when an immense force slammed into him, knocking the wind out of his lungs and blowing out his flames. With a loud thud, he fell onto his back.

"Natsu, are you okay?" Lucy called.

Before Natsu could answer, a mighty wind ripped through the guild, whipping people's hair around wildly and stirring up dust. As Sierra covered her eyes, she felt the coolness of the metal of her necklace against her skin disappear, just as planned. Across the room, she could hear loud shouts of horror.

"My wallet!"

"My earrings!"

"My necklace!"

Feeling the wind race past him, Loke looked down, and his mouth gaped when he saw his hands were bare. "My rings!" He felt his ear as well; there was only flesh. "My earrings too!"

"Lucy, my keys are gone! Don't let go of yours!" Sierra shouted just like she was supposed to.

"I'll stop him! Ice-Make Floor!" Gray shouted, slamming his fist against the floor and coating it in ice.

The wind immediately died down as a cloaked figure appeared, slipping on the ice. A hood hid his face, and a large sack hung from his back. As it jumped back to its feet, the being was surrounded on all sides by the guild members, but oddly, it didn't appear worried.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Master Markarov interrogated.

The figure glanced scanned the crowd as if looking for a hole through which to escape when its eyes landed on Sierra, causing the blonde's breathing to hitch. It stared at her for a moment then reached into its pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that suspiciously resembled a job request. Unfolding the page, the stranger glanced back and forth between the blonde and the flyer and suddenly smiled in a way that made Loke's heart stop.

"No! Don't tell me he's going to..."

"Sierra, run!" the Zodiac screamed, sprinting toward his friend, but it was too late. The intruder took off heading straight for Sierra and grabbed her. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.

"No...No no no no no no NO!" Loke cried, slamming his fist against a table so hard that the wood cracked. "I just got her back! You can't take her away from me again! Give her back!" He buried his face into his hands. "I shouldn't have let her out of my sight. Why did I let her out of my sight?"

"Calm down, Loke; we can't lose our heads." Master Markarov said coolly. "First, we must take inventory and-"

"Master, there's no time for that! By then, that thing will be gone with Sierra!"

"Loke, relax. You've got dragonslayers on your side, remember? No matter how far he or she runs, we'll be able to find him or her and Sierra." Natsu smiled. Walking to the spot where the intruder had previously stood, he bent down and scooped up the flyer it had dropped in its hurry. "I should be able to get a scent off of this...It kinda reeks..."

As Hana stood beside Freed, a faint yet vile odor drifted to her nose. As a painful stinging spread throughout her nostrils, her eyes widened. She knew that scent.

"Natsu! Don't smell that!!!" She shrieked, speeding toward him, but Natsu had already taken a large whiff. At first, nothing happened. Then, Natsu's eyes went wide as well, and he dropped the paper with a yelp, clutching his face.

"My nose!" he cried as his eyes began watering. "It feels like there's acid in my nose! It's hurts! Ugh, stupid paper! Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!"

"Natsu, no!!! DON'T BURN THAT PAPER!!!!!"

Before Hana could snatch the flyer, it connected with Natsu's fist and was consumed by the flames. Billows of dark pine green colored clouds sprang up from the fire and spread throughout the room, invading people's mouths, noses, and lungs.

"Ugh, what is that? It stinks!" Gray complained covering his nose. 

"Natsu, you baka!!! Do you realize what you've done-" Hana cried but began coughing violently before she could finish. Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel, and Laxus soon started heaving as well, clutching their faces and chests as their insides burned.

"Hana, what is this crap?!" Gajeel wheezed, leaning on a table for support.

"That paper was soaked in the juices of an exotic dragon weed plant. Dragon hunters have used it for years. Its odor messes with a dragon or dragonslayer's sense of smell; doesn't feel too good on the other senses either." Hana replied between gags. "Thanks to Ash-for-Brains over here, we'll be lucky if we can't smell for a week at least."

"Can't....smell?" Immediately, Natsu took a deep breath, no longer caring about the stinging in his nose and lungs. "She's right! I can't smell a thing. Wait a minute, doesn't smell help you taste too? Will I not be able to taste any food well until my sense of smell returns? Oh my gosh, what have I done?!"

Loke's eyebrow twitched angrily. "Seriously?! Our only chance of tracking Sierra and her captor has just been ruined, and you're worried about food?!" he roared, grabbing the pink-haired dragonslayer by the collar and pulling him close to his face so they were looking each other dead in the eye.

"It is unlikely that we would have been able to track them anyway. If the intruder was wise enough to douse the paper in dragon weed and leave it behind as a trap, then he or she would also likely wear some dragon weed as well in case the first plan didn't work." Hana sighed.

"Well, he didn't need to burn the paper. If he had stopped for a moment and considered reading the page, we might have been able to identify who sent out the request!" Loke exclaimed.

"Loke, freaking out will not help us find Sierra. If you want to help her, then you will sit down and take a deep breath." Master Markarov ordered sternly, and the Zodiac reluctantly did as he was told.

Mirajane came running out of the back room. "Master, all the guild's funds are gone. The bar tips, our savings, even the spare change in your office! Everything has vanished!"

Anxious murmuring broke out amongst the guild members, and the guild master's frown deepened.

"Does anyone still have anything of value on his or her person?" he called out.

Silence fell over the room.

"Anyone?"

"Lucy-san has her keys!" Wendy replied.

"Huh?" Lucy glanced down and saw her keys were still hanging from her belt. "They are still there! Why weren't they swiped like Sierra's?"

"That's odd." Natsu stated, walking over to Lucy and inspecting the keys. "Maybe he or she didn't see them as very valuable."

"What are you trying to say?" Loke growled defensively.

"Enough!" Markarov bellowed, slamming his fist down on the table to get everyone's attention. He then turned to Hana. "You seem to know quite a bit about this dragon weed, Hana. Are you aware of any others who are familiar with it?"

"Yes, I know a few, and one of them has the perfect reason for attacking Fairy Tail." Hana answered, clenching her fists. "It would seem that I need to pay my former guild a visit once more."

"You shouldn't go alone. I'll go with you." Natsu stated, laying a hand on Hana's shoulder. However, he was roughly shoved aside by Gajeel.

"No way, Flamebelcher! Yer the reason we're in this mess in the first place. I'm the one going with Hana."

"No you're not!"

"Oh, are you going to try and stop me, Pinkie?"

"It's on, Buckethead!"

"Would you both stop? Neither of you are going." Hana grumbled flatly.

Gajeel and Natsu deflated like balloons. "What?"

"Amazon Armor is a female-only guild, like Mermaid Heel. We are already on bad terms with them, so I think it that in our best interest, we should honor their traditions."

"Then who is going with you?"

Hana turned and pointed into the crowd. "Erza, Lucy, Evergreen, Cana, and Levy."

"Hey, what about me?! You forgot me!" Kiyo cried.

"I want you to stay here, Kiyo." The Dragon Queen replied coolly.

"What?! Why?"

"Because if something happens at Amazon Armor, I don't want to lose you too. You will stay here where you're safe." 

"But..." Kiyo wanted to protest, but she knew that no matter what she said, Hana had made her decision. 

"Hey, don't look so gloomy, squirt! You can hang with us." Bickslow grinned, wrapping an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

"Hang with us! Hang with us!" his dolls sang.

"After all, we'll need someone to fill in for Ever, and if you do a good job, we might just let you keep her spot." the giddy mage continued, flashing his colleague a mischievous wink.

"Not funny." Evergreen growled back.

"It's a long trip to Olympia even by train, and I don't know how long the negotiations will take, so we should plan on staying someplace for a night or two." Hana explained.

"Mermaid Heel is relatively close to Amazon Armor. I'm sure Kagura and the girls would be willing to help us out."

"Alright, everyone pack and then meet in front of the train station in an hour-"

"But it's the middle of the night!" Evergreen whined. 

"There's no time to waste. Be at the train station in an hour, or you get left behind." Hana barked. Taking her presents from Freed, the brunette flashed him a smile. "Watch over Kiyo for me, okay?"

"Alright. Don't stay up all night studying." Freed replied with a smile. "Don't get killed either."

"I'll do my best. Also, could one of you please feed Thorn and Thistle while I'm gone?"

"Who?"

"I'll handle it, Hana." Kiyo smiled. "Just find Sierra and hurry back."

Hana gave her friend a mock salute. "Sir yes sir." she cooed before heading out of the guild's front doors.

Ren and Eve noticed Hibiki frowning. "Hey, everything alright, man?"

Hibiki didn't answer; instead, he watched Hana critically as she left. Something wasn't adding up. "Sierra's keys may be quite rare, but anyone would know that Lucy's golden Zodiac keys are valuable as well. So why were Sierra's keys swiped while Lucy's weren't touched? Something is right here; it doesn't make any sense."

"Master Markarov, would it be alright if Ren, Eve, and myself stuck around for a few days? It would seem you could use as much help as you can get." the boy asked.

Master Markarov pondered this. "Of course. We appreciate any aid you can give us."

"Thank you, sir." Hibiki answered sincerely. "I will not leave this town until I figure out what is going on and bring Sierra home. I promise you, Karen."

\-------------------------

When the world came back into focus, Sierra released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and practically jumped from her captor's arms and back onto solid ground.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic. I wasn't going that fast." Hermes grumbled as he yanked off his hood. "Can I go wash off this dragon weed stuff now? Even if it won't affect me, it still reeks."

"No, we still have work to do. Can I have my keys back please?" 

Rummaging through his pocket, Hermes fished out the necklace and returned the necklace to his master, who hung it back on her neck.

"Are you sure you got everything except Lucy's keys?"

"Sierra, I'm the god of thieves too. I'm certain." Setting down his large bag of loot, the redheaded spirit sat cross legged on the ground and gazed at his boss. "What are you going to tell her if she asks about Lucy's keys?"

"I'll make something up. I just couldn't take them from her, Hermes."

The god sat in awkward silence for a moment, then asked, "So now what do we do?"

"We wait. Hippolyta promised to send a message around ten." 

As if on cue, the wind around the two picked up, and a crisp, white paper airplane soared into Sierra's lap. Picking it up, the blonde read slowly and carefully.

Hades has learned that Fairy Tail is sending a small team here to Amazon Armor to investigate. You are not to bring the loot here until I contact you again. In the meantime, you can start you next assignment. I want you to attack anyone coming in or out of Magnolia, civilians included. Kill them if you have to; I want the city and Fairy Tail to be completely cut off from any help. Remember, Leo's life is in your hands.

-Hippolyta

"Sierra, what's wrong?" Hermes inquired when he noticed his master trembling.

Hot tears spilled down Sierra's cheeks. "That witch.... That awful, filthy, wrenched witch!" Dropping the request, she pulled her knees tightly against her chest. "I can't do this, Hermes. I can't hurt them."

"But what about Leo?"

The blonde sobbed harder, gasping for air in between choked sobs. "I don't know. Hermes, I don't know what to do! Tell me what to do!"

"I..I don't know. I'm sorry." Hermes mumbled, squirming uncomfortably under the woman's gaze.

Sierra sniffled and wiped her eyes. "No, it's okay. That's fine. This isn't your area of expertise anyway. Take the note to Apollo and Athena and see if there is a way we can effectively take down someone without doing too much damage."

"Yes, miss. But what about you?" 

"I'm going to try and get some rest."

"Out here by yourself? Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

Sierra nodded. "I'll be fine. You guys will intervene if anything happens. Goodnight, Hermes, and don't forget to grab the loot."

"I won't. Goodnight, Sierra." Grabbing the the heavy sack and the piece of paper, Hermes hoisted his load over his shoulder and then disappeared into thin air. Crawling underneath a large oak, Sierra leaned tiredly  against the tree trunk and stared up at the stars. "Everyone, please forgive me...."


	16. Chapter 16

"Hana, for the last time, turn that thing off! You're preventing me from getting my beauty sleep!" Evergreen groaned, opening one sleepy eye to glare up at the brunette.

"Sorry, Evergreen. Just let me finish one more letter and then I'll stop, I promise." Hana said quickly as she scribbled away on the page in front of her, listening carefully as Freed's smooth, melodic voice echoed from the lacrima beside her.

"You said that five letters ago. Do not make me wake up Erza." the other woman threatened, her eyes serious.

Hana's hand froze millimeters away from the paper and she glanced nervously at the slumbering redhead sitting next to Evergreen. Despite her loud snores, the Dragon Queen had learned earlier how light of a sleeper Erza really was when Lucy and Levy made the mistake of having a tickle fight. Fortunately, the attendants aboard the train had plenty of ice packs and strawberry cake.

After setting the rest of her tools back into her bag, Hana paused for a moment before grabbing the lacrima from its spot beside her. A holographic image of Freed hovered above it, frozen mid-sentence, and if the Dragon Queen squinted hard enough, it almost looked like he was puckering his lips for a kiss. A small chuckle escaped her lips.

"Goodnight, Freed." she whispered to the hologram before turning off the lacrima and stuffing it into her bag as well.

Evergreen smirked. If she was up, she might as well have some fun, right?

"You know Hana, Freed doesn't normally warm up to people very quickly; however, he seems to have taken a special liking to you." she purred. "I wonder why."

Beautiful shades of scarlet bloomed on Hana's cheeks, causing her to turn sharply before Evergreen could she her blushing. In a low whisper, she asked, "What are you trying to say? Are you accusing me of something?"

"No, not at all! I was just thinking aloud." Evergreen reassured her. Her smile grew softer, almost in a sympathetic way. "It's rather sad how Freed shuts himself off from other people. He may appear rather cold on the inside, but deep down, he is actually very sweet, kind, and funny. I'm glad he has opened up to you so soon." 

A small smile spread across Hana's face. "I'm glad too-"

"However, I need to make something clear." Evergreen's eyes suddenly turned icy, and she began to radiate a dark, chilling aura. "If you hurt Freed in any way, you will have to answer to the Raijinshuu. Got it?!"

Hana gulped nervously and nodded her head. Even though she was superior to Evergreen when it came to strength, it did not make the woman any less intimidating.

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other." Immediately, the tension in the air dissipated, and Evergreen's smile returned. Reclining in her seat, she watched the Dragon Queen with a steady eye. "Freed is like a brother to me, so I am quite protective of him."

"I swear, I mean him no harm."

"I know, darling. I was just warning you."

Hana glanced down at her hands. For some reason, all this talk about Freed made her feel uneasy. Inside her chest, her heart beat wildly, and a sensation like the marching of an insect army filled her body. Her steady breathing grew shaky and ragged, and she yearned for his comforting aura. Evergreen immediately took notice of her companion's silence and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Is everything alright, Hana?"

"Huh?" The Dragon Queen looked up and quickly shook her head. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just feel a little funny, that's all. I guess my motion sickness is starting to come back. I think I'm going to try to sleep."

Evergreen smiled, not completely convinced that what the poor girl was feeling was motion sickness, but she didn't push the her. "Good idea. I'll wake you when we reach our stop."

"But don't you need your sleep?"

"I'm already a lost cause. Now get some shut eye before I make you." Evergreen stated firmly, fingering the rim of her glasses.

Hana chuckled before sprawling across her seat and closing her eyes. However as she laid there in the quiet, thoughts of what was to come the next day began to creep in. The dragon slayer's stomach began twisting about till it created the world's ultimate pretzel, and the stomping of the ghost insects inside her became faster and more intense.

"I'm..I'm afraid. I don't want to go back to that place, but I have to. For Sierra."

Reaching back into her bag, she removed one of the lacrimas and held it to her chest. It was warm to the touch, and when she closed her eyes, Freed's smiling face lingered in her mind. Slowly, her muscles began to relax, and as she drifted off, her last thought was "Freed, give me strength."

\---------------------

The next morning, Hana awoke to Erza dragging Evergreen from her bed while she kicked and screamed. Despite how late it had been when they arrived, the members of Mermaid Heel had been wide awake and welcomed them with open arms. After a few hellos and a small snack, Kagura ushered her guests to bed, where they slept till around noon.

"Erza, just five more minutes!" Evergreen whined as the redhead pried her hands off of the bed's headboard.

A small chuckle escaped Hana's lips as she watched the scene play out, but a quick glare from Erza silenced her.

"You better get up now, or I'm coming for you next." The warrior threatened.

With a groan, Hana sat up in her bed and stretched, yawning. Lucy and Levy were already in the bathroom, and Cana was brushing her teeth at the kitchen sink. A warm, cozy rays of sunlight flooded into the room through the open window, and the gentle roar of the ocean waves echoed in the distance.

"What's this?" a voice suddenly asked from behind her.

Hana jumped up in surprise and spun around to find Millianna squatting behind her, the Dragon Queen's bag by her feet. Clutched in the curious catlover's hands was one of Freed's lacrimas.

"Put that back!" Hana cried, but the feline fanatic had already activated the magical orb. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the frozen image of Freed.

"Why do you have a video of Freed? And why is he making such a weird face? He looks like he's about to kiss someone." Millianna giggled. Glancing up at the Dragon Queen, she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Is he your boyfriend? Is this a love letter he sent to you?"

Hana's cheeks flushed bright red, and she hastily snatched the lacrima from the girl's greedy claws. "No, it's my lessons; Freed is my teacher. Now stop snooping through my bag!" After placing the lacrima back into her sack, the dragon slayer picked up her spare pair of clothes and a towel.

Millianna sighed. "Aw, so you don't like Freed at all?"

Before Hana could answer, Evergreen cut her off.

"Oh, she likes Freed, alright. She just won't admit it." she smirked.

The room went completely silent except for the sound of a shocked Erza dropping Evergreen. A few moments later, Millianna broke into a fit of squeals.

"Hana has a crush on Freed! Oh my gosh, that's so cute!"

"I do not!" Hana protested.

Evergreen chuckled. "Oh yes you do. You girls should have seen her last night! She snuggled that lacrima like her life depended on it, and when I mentioned Freed, she got bright red and said her 'motion sickness' was acting up."

"It was my motion sickness! I don't like Freed like that!" The Dragon Queen insisted.

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm not blushing!"

"Hana," Erza interrupted, setting a comforting hand on the dragon slayer's shoulder, "You can be honest with us. We won't tell another soul."

"There's nothing to tell because I don't have feelings for Freed." Seeing Lucy and Levy emerge from the bathroom, Hana quickly shoved past them and slammed the door behind her. Once again, silence gripped the room, Lucy and Levy wrinkling their brows in confusion while Millianna tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"What do you think, Cana?" she finally said, turning to the brunette who had remained unusually quiet throughout the entire ordeal.

Cana spit out the mouthwash she had been gargling and smiled. "She's crushing alright. She is crushing hard."

Immediately, everyone in the room except Lucy and Levy erupted into squeals.

"Uh, what did we miss?"

\-----------------------

At noon, the ladies of Fairy Tail said their goodbyes and set out for the Amazon Armor guild hall. For a few hours they walked through a vibrant forest, the sun bathing them in warm light, but Hana continued to shiver. Biting her bottom lip until it bled, she listened to the thunderous beating of her heart as her eyes scanned the forest for an Amazon ambush. The others could sense the distress and tension radiating off the dragon slayer, and while they tried to ignore it, the contagious unease had soon infected them as well. What could be so terrifying and horrible that it frightened a woman known as the Dragon Queen?

Finally, the snapping of twig echoed in Hana's ear. As the wind charged direction, a flicker of movement caught the corner of her eyes, but as she turned, the swishing of wind over wood greeted her.

"Everyone, get down" she shouted, grabbing Lucy and Levy and pulling them to the ground. Erza, Cana, and Evergreen hit the ground as well, barely avoiding the two spears that sailed over their heads and stabbed the ground behind them.

"Look who we have here. The deserter has returned." A voice sang. It sounded like it was coming from right in front of Hana but she saw no one there.

"Should we let her back in?" another answered with an equally melodious voice. This one sounded like it was coming from behind the dragonslayer.

Hana gritted her teeth. "I know it's you two, Mira and Mari. Stop hiding like cowards and show yourselves!"

"Ouch, Hana. That's mean." the first voice said. "Are you really in any position to call us cowards?"

"You left the guild, your family, and hid yourself from us. That seems pretty cowardly." the second voice continued.

"And when we tried to bring you back, you escaped again, this time with a male." The first voice hissed, spitting out the word 'male' like it left a foul taste in her mouth.

Hana clenched her fists. By keeping the duo talking, she had managed to pinpoint both of them despite their invisibility spells. Keeping her voice even as not to rouse their suspicions, she answered, "I left because what 'my family' was doing wasn't right. You all are cruel and heartless, and it's sickening. You see no value in human life and toy with other human beings like you are above them. You torment weaker members of your so called 'family' for sport, and I had had enough. But I did not come here for a trip through the past. I have important business to attend to, so LET US THROUGH!!!!! Wingslash of the Earth Dragon!" With a grunt, the dragons slayer released two projectiles of earth in opposite directions. 

Squeals pierced the air as the blasts hit their marks, and the two invisible girls went flying. Upon hitting the ground, the twins' spell shatters, making them visible. Both were identical with long, snowy white hair, eyes the color of slate, and skin so pale that it appeared translucent. They rose no higher than Hana's shoulder, and their delicate, willowy frames made them appear more like ballerinas than warriors. The clothes the girls wore was identical as well. Each one had a light brown vest draped over a black shirt and leggings and a simple belt. A glimmering shield was strapped to each girl's back, and knives hung in a scabbards attached to their belts. The only difference between them was one wore her long tresses in a high ponytail while the other girl's hung loose.

"That hurt, Hana-san! You're going to pay for that!" the one with the ponytail, Mira, cried and glared daggers at the brunette.

"You will not leave spot alive. The master will reward us greatly for punishing you for your crimes against this guild." Mari said eerily.

Cana snorted as she and the others stood up. "Oh ya? How are you going to do that? Invisibility isn't exactly an offensive magic."

Grinning, the two twins joined hands and started to chant, "Double-"

Sensing the wind picking up around her, Hana shouted, "Everyone, split!"

"-Emera Baramu!" Mira and Mari finished, crossing the fingers of their free hands and firing the blast.

Shoving the others out of the way, Hana braced herself and faced the attack head on. She grunted as the winds hit her full force, tearing and her flesh and clothes, and after the attack had passed, she collapsed to her knees, panting tiredly.

"We're a lot stronger than you remember, aren't we?" Mira chirped, smirking.

"You can thank Ursa for that. Training with Aeolus really helped us improve." Mari purred.

"Oh, I promise to give her a lot of thanks when I get to the guild hall, along with a few other things." Hana growled as she staggered back to her feet.

"When you get back to the guild hall? As if! Your journey ends here!" Mira cackled. Squeezing her sister's hand, she cooed, "Goodbye, Hana. Have fun in Tartarus."

Again, the twins began to chant, the wind swirling around them violently. "Double Magic Wind Palm!" 

As the twins clapped their hands together, a tornado shot forth from their palms, stampeding straight for Hana. The Dragon Queen turned to run but stumbled, hitting the ground with a thud. Raising her hand, she summoned a wall of brambles or vines to protect herself, but the wind tore through it easily. Closing her eyes, Hana braced herself for the second attack when a voice called out over the roaring wind.

"Solid Script: Wall!" Levy cried, standing in front of Hana. Before the two appeared the word 'WALL' constructed completely out of bricks. Grabbing Hana's arm, Levy pulled her behind one of the L's and held onto her tightly as the winds blew past. Despite shaking violently beneath the immense strength of the blast, the wall did not collapse.

Mira and Mari clenched their jaws angrily. "Hey, get out of the way or we'll kill you too-WAH!!!!!" Suddenly, the earth beneath the twins' feet gave way, and they tumbled into a large pit.

From the hole leaped a woman clothed in a maid outfit with short pink hair and a blank expression. 

"Is the pit sufficient, Princess?" Virgo asked Lucy as she dusted off her apron.

"It's perfect, Virgo. Thank you." Lucy smiled. When the maid didn't disappear, she asked, "Um, is there something wrong, Virgo?"

"Since he cannot do so himself, Leo asked me to come with you to the dark guild as a bodyguard. I plan to do to as he wishes."

"Oh, uh okay. Just don't say or do anything weird." Lucy said.

Virgo tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean by weird, princess?"

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of Lucy's face. "Just keep your mouth shut and stay right behind me, okay?"

"Yes, princess."

Rising to their feet, Mira and Mari prepared to use their magic to launch themselves out of the hole when their eyes met Evergreen's, her irises glowing. With a shriek, both girls were turned to stone, and Evergreen returned her glasses to her face.

"That wasn't so bad. If the rest of the guild members are only that strong, this mission will be over in no time." she purred.

"Those two were only scouts, a position given to the weakest of the guild." Hana said as she leaned on Levy for support and limped back to the group. "If those two have improved this much since I left, I can only imagine how strong the others are now."

"What's with the two types of magic? You have it, and so do they. Is that a common thing for members of Amazon Armor?" Cana asked as she took a sip from her canteen.

"Yes. Mastering two types of magic is a requirement for joining the guild." Hana replied, letting go of Levy's shoulder and balancing on her own two feet. Her legs still hurt, but the pain wasn't so intense that she couldn't walk on her own. Gazing up at the sky, she tried to guess what time of day it was based on the position of the sun. "We need to keep moving. If my guess is right, it's almost time for the scouts to rotate, and we don't want to encounter any more trouble. Lets go."

Following Hana, the girls trudged the last few meters toward the guild, but as the gates came into view, Hana froze, trembling.

"Hana, whatever happens through those doors, we face it together. You are not going through this alone." Erza said encouragingly.

Glancing back at her comrades, Hana was greeted by several warm, confident smiles, and the anxiety gnawing at her stomach faded.

"Erza's right. I'm not alone. I am the Dragon Queen, and the Dragon Queen fears no one!" Standing up straight, Hana took a deep breath and strode confidently toward the guild's gate, completely disregarding the two guards pointing their spears at her.

"What are you doing here?" one hissed, poking the brunette in the ribs.

Hana didn't flinch. "I've come here to speak with Hippolyta. Will you please let my companions and I through the gate?"

The guard scoffed. "Let you inside? No way. You abandoned us, Hana! That's not something we can just forgive and forget. Only a miracle would get you and your posse through this gate-"

Suddenly, a young girl that could have been no older than twelve raced through the gate and approached the guard.

"What is it?" the guard asked impatiently.

"Lady Hippolyta says let them through." the runner replied between heavy pants.

The guard's eyes widened in surprise but she said nothing. Motioning to the other guard, she grabbed one of the door handles while her comrade grabbed the other, and the two pulled open the gate. 

"Don't expect a warm welcome back. We don't like deserters." the first guard warned the dragonslayer.

As the girls of Fairy Tail followed Hana past the gate, their jaws dropped at the sight before them.

"This certainly doesn't look like the base for a dark guild." Evergreen muttered.

Crystal blue pools and tropical gardens dotted the premises, and all the pathways were paved with brilliant white stone. Dozens of pleasant, exotic scents mingled in the air, and the roaring of the ocean echoed nearby. Throughout the lot stood dozens of identical white buildings that resembled Greek temples, the largest of which sat between two of the sparkling pools.

"That's the guild hall. Follow me." Hana stated and started walking toward the giant building.

As the girls strode toward the guild hall, they became increasingly aware of the many glares they were receiving. As they passed, the members of Amazon Armor stopped and scowled at them, and few even hurled stones and spitballs at poor Hana. One of these projectiles caught the dragonslayer on the cheek, creating a gash just beneath her eye, but she didn't respond. As she neared the building, someone stuck out her foot and tripped the Dragon Queen, causing her to fall flat on her face. 

"Hana!" Lucy cried. She and Erza quickly helped their friend back to her feet while the Amazons laughed all around her. 

"I'm fine. Just keep moving." Hana grunted, wiping away the blood that dripped from her nose onto the white stone pathway.

Grabbing the hall's door, Levy pulled it open and held it as the other girls trudged inside before following them. Tables filled with many girls adorned the guild hall, and all eyes once again turned to glare at the unwelcome visitors.

"Yeah, yeah, we know you don't like us already. Shove it up your butts." Cana stated as she made her way towards the bar at the back of the room.

Sitting at the bar was none other than Ursa, a large mug of ale clutched tightly in one hand. Standing behind the bar was a cocoa-skinned woman with long hair as pink as cherry blossoms. A beautiful flower crown sat on her head, and her long, green sundress moved with her as she swayed back and forth as she worked, busily cleaning a shot glass. Freckles dotted her flawless face that seems to glow with beauty, and a sweet, melodious hum escaped her lips.

"Well, look who finally came back." Ursa sneered when she saw Hana. "Did you finally realize that you need us after all?"

"No, I did not. I'm here to speak with Hippolyta, nothing else." Hana replied before turning to the pink-haired girl. She mustered a weak smile. "Hello Persephone."

"Hello, Miss Hana." Persephone smiled back cheerfully, glancing up from her work. Her eyes widened when she saw the wounds of Hana's face. "Miss Hana, you're hurt!" she cried, setting down her rag and the shot glass.

"It's nothing really. Just a couple of scratches. Don't worry about it." Hana reassured her.

"Are you certain?"

"I'm positive."

"Persephone, this mug isn't going to refill itself." Ursa droned, waving her now empty mug around in the air.

"Coming right up, milady!" Persephone exclaimed, grabbing the mug and hastily filling it with more golden liquid.

Lucy watched the pink-haired woman as she worked. Nowhere on the girl's body did the blonde see a guild mark. However, woman's body was covered with nasty bruises, and as she waited for the mug to fill, Lucy noticed Persephone casting anxious glances at Ursa the whole time as if she was expecting her to jump up and strike her at any given moment.

"She's one of Ursa's celestial spirits." Lucy realized. "Ursa must abuse the poor thing on a regular basis." The thought made the blonde's blood boil.

After receiving her mug of fresh ale, Ursa turned to the visitors and raised an eyebrow, an amused smile dancing on her lips. "What makes you think we're going to let you just waltz in here and speak to Lady Hippolyta? We don't exactly like you."

"You Amazons kidnapped my friend, and I want to know where she has been taken."

"That's a pretty big accusation." a voice said from above.

The guild went silent, and all eyes looked up to see Hippolyta sitting of the railing of the loft above the bar. The guild master stared Hana down, her eyes sparkling with a dark light.

"You better have some pretty hard evidence to back up that claim." she cooed coldly, her lips curled into a sneer.

"I do." Hana answered confidently.

"Oh? Do tell."

"The person who abducted my friend used dragon weed to prevent me from tracking them-"

Hippolyta's chilling laughter echoed off the walls of the guild hall, and the women of Fairy Tail felt their skin crawl.

"Hana, you're just as stupid and naive as when you left." the guild master jeered. "I'm not the only one who knows about dragon weed, Hana."

"But you do have a motive. Abducting my friend sounds like the perfect revenge plan-"

"But that's just your hunch. You have no actual proof that I've done anything."

"I don't need any proof! I know you did it!"

"Well, until you have actual proof, you can't drag me to the authorities. Now, you've wasted enough of my time. Escort yourselves off the premises or I'll have you removed by force."

Hana's body trembled with rage. She slammed her fists angrily against the bar, causing the wooden counter to splinter and crack. Hippolyta glanced down at her once more.

"Careful, Hana. That temper of yours is going to get you and your friends into trouble." She warned.

"Hana, please calm down." Erza said, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Starting a fight right here, right now will only make things worse."

Shooting a death glare at Hippolyta, Hana allowed Erza to drag her out of the guild before ripping her arm out of the redhead's grasp and storming ahead of the group out the gates and into the woods. None of the girls said anything as they trailed behind her, partially because they didn't know what to say and partially because they knew Hana wouldn't listen.

"Hana, we should head back to Mermaid Heel. Perhaps Kagura will have some ideas about how we should continue-"

"No. I want to get onto the first train back to Magnolia and go home! We've wasted enough time here!" Hana exclaimed as she wiped away the hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

"But-"

"I said I want to go home, Erza!"

No one argued, and the group walked the several long miles back to town in silence. Upon reaching the train station, Virgo left, and Erza walked up to the ticket booth while the others waited.

"Six tickets to Magnolia please."

"No can do, ma'am. The Magnolia station has been down ever since last night."

Erza frowned. "Alright, six tickets to the station closest to Magnolia."

After paying the fee, Erza walked back to the group with the tickets in hand. "The train station in Magnolia is down, so I ordered tickets to the nearest town. We'll have to walk home from there."

Evergreen groaned loudly, but a warning glare from the redhead quickly quieted her. Before long, the group was ushered onto the train and seated. Reaching into her bag, Hana felt around for her lacrimas. She needed to distract herself, and she was in desperate need of the soothing qualities of Freed's gentle voice. However, when a pile of something sharp like glass brushed against her skin, her eyes widened in horror. Grabbing the some of the sharp objects in her hand, she pulled them out of her bag and stared at the shattered remains of the lacrimas resting in her palm.

"They must have shattered after I was hit by Mira and Mari's attack."

Once more, tears pricked at the the corners of her eyes, and Hana had to bite her lip to keep it from quivering. After returning the shards to her bag, she turned to stare blankly out the window. The train hadn't even begun to move yet, but she already felt sick.

\----------------------

After a few hours, the train stopped, and the women got off. While Hana remained mute, the other girls struck up conversations between themselves, unable to bear the silence any longer. However, as they walked, a barely audible whisper caught her ear.

"Help...." It murmured.

Hana froze.

"Hana, what's wrong?" Levy asked when she noticed her stop.

"Listen."

The group fell silent, and the voice called out again.

"Help us...."

"That sounded like Jet!" Levy gasped.

"Levy, help us...."

Hana followed the voice a few yards up the road. Laying in a ditch were Jet and Droy, covered from head to toe in gashes and bruises. Droy was unconscious, a large lump on the side of his head, and Jet was barely able to stay awake.

"Oh my gosh! Jet, what happened?!" Levy cried in horror as Hana and Erza lifted the two men gently out of the ditch.

"Droy and I were just heading out on a job when these two guys appeared out of nowhere and attacked up. They were wearing the funny smelling plant juice Hana mentioned, just like the person who kidnapped Sierra."

"Dragon weed? Guys?" Hana frowned. "That doesn't make sense though. If Amazon Armor was behind this, they wouldn't hire men to do their dirty work, would they? They did hire the Reaping Crew to track me down though...."

Jet suddenly lifted his head, and his eyes widened in horror. "Cana, look out!"

Cana spun around on her heels just in time to be shot by a bolt of lightning. With a yelp, she fell to her knees, holding her stomach.

"Cana!" Lucy cried in alarm.

Standing a few yards away were two men. Along their cloaks hid most of their bodies, the girls could tell that one had dark skin while the other one, the one who had attacked Cana, was pale. Both stank heavily of dragon weed.

"It's them..." Jet whimpered.

"Levy, Evergreen, protect Jet and Droy." Erza commanded.

"What? No! Make Lucy help Levy guard them. I want to fight!" Evergreen protested.

"Don't argue with me." Erza barked as she instantly into her Lightning Maiden armor. The pale man did nothing.

"Gate of Golden Bull, I open thee! Taurus!" Lucy called, holding out one her keys.

"Helloooooo, Miss Lucy. What can I do for yoooooooou and your beauuuuuutiful friends?" the Minotaur purred when he appeared, his axe clutched tightly in his hands.

"Those two guys hurt Cana, Jet, and Droy. I want you to help us take them down!" Lucy ordered the spirit, pointing at the cloaked assailants.

"I shall dooooo my best, Miss Lucy. I will protect these lovely beauuuuties with all my strength." Taurus exclaimed before charging the duo.

The dark skinned man was the one who attacked this time. A brilliant light enveloped his hand, and he knocked Taurus onto his back with one blow. The spirit disappeared immediately.

"Seriously?!" Lucy shouted irritably.

Hana glanced back and forth between the two attackers and Jet, Droy, and Cana. Although the group could probably take this pair down after a good fight, she didn't want to risk anything happening to the injured. For now, they needed to retreat.

"Warren?" the dragonslayer called out mentally.

At first, there was only silence, but then a faint, familiar voice answered. "Hana, is that you? Are you guys almost back? Be careful! There have been multiple reports of wizards and civilians alike being attacked on the road by hooded figures."

"Thanks for the warning." Hana replied sarcastically. "Can you please just establish a mental link between myself, Lucy, Levy, Evergreen, Erza, and Cana?"

"But aren't they with you-"

"Just do it, Warren!"

The telepathy mage didn't argue and hastily established the link.

"Can you guys hear me? We need to get out of here quickly. I'm going to cause a distraction, and when I do, I want you guys to run as fast as you can. Lucy and Levy, you carry Cana; Ever and Erza, you two handle Jet. I'll get Droy. Everyone understand?"

"Yes," came the reply.

"Alright. Three, two, one!"

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!" Hana cried, taking a deep breath and then releasing a torrent of loose earth. Dirt flew everywhere, blinding the two attackers, and when the dust settled, Jet, Droy, and the girls were gone.


	17. Chapter 17

"Come on, Freed. Don't be scared." Kiyo cooed.

"I'm not scared. I just don't want my hand eaten off." Freed replied, eying the creatures in front of him warily. When he had agreed to come with Kiyo to feed Hana's "pets," he had not been expecting two Venus Flytraps that rose up to his waist with jaws large enough to gobble his hand whole.

"Oh, they won't eat your hand, you big baby. Just make sure your palm is completely flat when you feed them and you'll be fine." Kiyo reassured him as she placed a few more cubes of raw meat into Freed's open hand.

Freed glanced at the plants uncertainly then slowly held out his hand, making sure his palm was flat like Kiyo had said. The slightly taller of the two plants, Thistle, instantly snapped up the food, and within seconds, the meat was gone. Licking its lips, Thistle let out a purr and nuzzled Freed's hand affectionately.

Freed chuckled. "They act more like cats than plants."

"I think they like you."

Suddenly, the door to apartment flew open, and Bickslow raced in, gasping for air.

"Bickslow, what's wrong?" Freed asked worriedly.

"The girls....they're back.....They found Jet and Droy too......." Bickslow answered between heavy pants.

Freed's eyes widened. "Were they attacked?"

"Yeah, but as far as I could tell, Jet, Droy, and Cana were the only ones who sustained any damage."

"Where are they?"

"Mirajane was taking them to the guild hall-" Before Bickslow had finished answering, Freed was already out the door.

\-----------------

"Sierra?"

Sierra hastily wiped away the tears spilling from her bloodshot eyes and sat up straight. "Enter."

Artemis pushed aside the flap covering the tent's entrance and stepped inside. Clutched in her hand was a slip of paper. "Hermes received another message for you."

Sierra mechanically held out her hand, and Artemis gave her the letter. Unfolding the page, she read the text with a blank expression, but fresh tears began to leak down her cheeks.

"Master, I know our chances against Amazon Armor are slim, but anything is better than this! Your other spirits and I can't bear to see you this upset." the goddess pleaded.

Sierra brushed away her tears once more and handed the letter back to Artemis. "Notify Zeus and Poseidon that they have a new mission." she said hollowly.

"But Sierra-"

"I have to do this, Artemis. I can't let anyone hurt Leo again." the blonde was silent for a moment. "Have there been any casualties so far?"

Artemis didn't answer right away. "No."

Sierra knew she was lying but decided not to say anything. "Tell Poseidon and Zeus to leave immediately. The sooner we do as Hippolyta says, the sooner this will all be over with."

"Yes, Sierra."

As Artemis exited the tent, Prince pushed past her and took her spot inside the tent.

"What is it?" Sierra asked.

Prince stared down at his feet. "Someone got past Zeus and I."

Sierra jumped to her feet, eyes wide with alarm. "Who?!"

"Hana, Levy, Lucy, Cana, Erza, and Evergreen. They were heading back into Magnolia and found Jet and Droy. We managed to injure Cana, but they all got away."

Sierra groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"What should we do? Hippolyta won't take this news well." Prince asked.

Sierra leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Nothing. It won't matter soon. I suspect that after this assignment, Hippolyta will be satisfied with her revenge."

Suddenly, a burst of wind filled the tent, and Hermes appeared.

"Sierra, we have a problem! Two of the Council's lackeys managed to teleport inside the city!"

Sierra's heart skipped a beat. "Do you know where they're headed?"

"Yes. Their destination is the Fairy Tail guild hall."

Sierra clenched and unclenched her fist nervously. Had they been found out?

"Follow them. Find out why they're here, and don't get caught! Now both of you leave me; I need a moment alone."

"Yes ma'am."

\-----------------

When Mirajane opened the guild hall doors, the girls' eyes widened in horror. All the tables had been pushed and in their place stood rows after rows of cots. Dozens of bruised, battered, and bandaged bodies filled the beds, their labored breathing and pained cries filling the air like a symphony of agony.

"There's so many...." Lucy murmured.

"This isn't even all of them. We opened the guild hall to the wounded after the cathedral became full." Mirajane said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She gazed sadly at the numerous wounded. "We've tried contacting people outside of the city limits to warn them, but something is blocking Warren's telepathy and sending out a postman is pointless." Turning, she beckoned her brother and sister to her side. "Take Jet, Droy, and Cana to some spare cots."

"There's none left; all of them are full."

"The loft is still clear, is it not?" Master Markarov inquired as he approached them.

Lisanna nodded.

"Take some mattresses and set them up there. We cannot waste any room."

"Yes Master."

Lisanna gently linked arms with Cana and helped her to the back of the guild while Elfman scooped up Jet and Droy like they weighed no more than feathers.

"Master, when did this start?" Erza asked.

"About an hour after you girls left. Some young civilians camping on the edge of town were attacked by a woman in a cloak who could control plants, and an hour later, a train scheduled to leave Magnolia had its wheels melted off by a cloaked man and derailed. As more reports of attacks came in, we set up rescue teams to help, but it seems to have only made matters worse."

"Master," Kinana called, "Team Blue, Team Gray, and Team Dragon are back."

The Trimens, Loke, Gray, Juvia, Laxus, Gajeel, and Natsu all trudged through the guild doors, each carrying one or two wounded civilians. Gray, Juvia, and Loke were all soaked to the bone while Natsu, Laxus, and Gajeel were covered from head to toe in soot. At first glance, the Trimens looked fine, but up closer examination, sunburns could be found dotting their bodies like chicken pox.

"Lucy!" Loke cried when he noticed her standing there. After handing off the two people he had been carrying, he raced two her side and grabbed hold of her. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Loke, you look awful!" Lucy gasped.

Dark bags lined the spirit's bloodshot eyes, and his skin was sickly pale. His once youthful face was now adorned with worry lines, and his body trembled anxiously.

"Well of course I look awful. I just jumped into the ocean in my clothes."

"You know that's not what I meant." Lucy snapped. "Have you gotten any sleep at all ever since yesterday?"

"I've tried, but every time I close my eyes, I see Sierra staring at me helplessly as a hooded figure whisks her away while I'm frozen in place, unable to help her." Glancing at Hana, Loke asked hopefully, "Did you get any information out of Amazon Armor?"

Hana hung her head, unable to look the spirit in the eye. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry."

Loke's face fell, but he quickly tried to hide his disappointment. "That's alright. We'll find something eventually."

"Loke! We've got another rescue mission." Gray shouted as he and Juvia waited by the doors of the guild. Loke quickly joined them and followed Gray out of the guild. As he left, Freed raced through the doors and immediately spotted Hana.

"Hana!" he cried in relief, wrapping her in a strong hug. Hana stiffened at the unexpected contact but didn't pull away. Despite the horror around her, Evergreen couldn't help the smile the crept onto her face.

Pulling back, Freed gently cupped Hana's face in his hands and started looking her over. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No."

"Did you get any information about Sierra?"

Hana looked down. "No." she repeated, her voice cracking slightly.

Freed frowned. "Hana, are you alright?"

"No." With that, Hana broke down in tears and buried her face into Freed's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Freed gently wrapped his arms around her once more and rubbed her back comfortingly as her tears soaked his jacket.

"Shh. Don't fret, Hana. We'll find her. Something will come to light eventually. All hope isn't lost." Before he could think and stop himself, Freed placed a soft kiss on Hana's forehead and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. Hana, however, would still not look him in the eyes.

"What is it?" the green-haired mage cooed gently.

Hana sniffled. "At Amazon Armor, crying was an offense that earn some of the highest of punishments. Hippolyta said that only weaklings cried."

Freed smiled at her sympathetically. "She's wrong. A friend once told me that people don't cry because they are weak but because they've been strong for so long."

Hana whimpered as a wave of fresh tears flooded her eyes. Wrapping her arms around Freed, she hugged him tightly and whispered, "Thank you."

Freed smiled and stroked her hair. "You're welcome. Now, did the lacrimas cooperate for you?"

Hana stiffened again.

"Hana?"

Slowly, the Dragon Queen reached into her bag and pulled out some of the lacrima shards. Freed's eyes widened.

"They were shattered by an attack from two of Amazon Armor's scouts. I'm so sorry, Freed; I should have been more careful with your gift." she said, her voice quivering.

Freed gently took the shards from her hand and tucked them into his pocket. "I'm sure someone will be able to fix them, and if not, I'll just make you some more. It's not a big deal." he said sweetly.

Hana smiled up at the man before her. "Freed?"

"Yes, Hana?"

"Why do your hands smell like vegetables and raw meat?" the brunette giggled.

Freed blushed but before he could answer, the guild doors flew open with a loud bang and in stormed two Rune Knights.

"Lahar, Doranbolt, how did you guys get here?! No one has been able to get in and out of the city all day." Natsu cried.

"We teleported."

"So the Council has decided to get involved?" Master Markarov mused. "Good, we need to get these people better medical care. Perhaps Doranbolt could teleport in a few medics-"

"Unfortunately, we have other orders. We would like to ask your Dragon Queen a couple of questions."

Every dragonslayer in the guild stiffened. Frowning, Freed protectively pulled Hana behind him.

"Why do ya need to talk to Hana? She ain't done nothing." Gajeel said as he munched on a couple of screws.

"We never said she did, but as a former member of a dark guild, the Council sees her as a suspect for aiding in these attacks against your guild and the city-"

"Now wait just a minute, Hana was attacked just like everyone else." Lucy protested. 'I was with her when it happened

"How do you know she didn't organize an attack on herself to remove anyone's suspicions from her? We know it is not likely, but we still need to speak with her just to be sure. Now, which of you is the Dragon Queen?"

Timidly, Hana stepped out from behind Freed. "I-I am." she stuttered.

"Miss, I need you to come with my partner and I to answer some questions. Markarov, do you have a room we could use?"

"No. All of our spare space is being used."

"You could use my apartment; it's not far from here." Lucy offered.

"That will do. Please lead the way."

Lahar stood on one side of Hana while Doranbolt took to the other as they escorted Hana out of the guild. Before disappearing through the doors, Hana glanced back at Freed with wide eyes; she looked frightened. Freed's stomach twisted into a flesh pretzel, but before he could follow them, Master Markarov called him aside.

"Freed, I need you for a moment."

Biting back a few curses, Freed followed the master to the back of the guild where not many people could hear them.

"I want you to construct protective barriers around the guild hall and the cathedral. With so many injured inside our doors, I'm almost certain this building will be our attacker's next target. Can you do it?"

"Master, I-"

"Freed, Hana will take care of herself. If she has nothing to hide then she is in no danger. Now I need to know, can you construct the barriers and keep them up at both locations?"

With a sigh, Freed nodded.

"Good. Then get started immediately. I'll send word to you once Hana has returned."

"Yes Master Markarov."

\-------------------------------

Hana sat in silence as she stared at the two Rune Knights sitting across from her. Neither of them had said a word since Lucy left; instead, they scanned her from head to toe with their eyes, sizing her up and making mental notes.

"If you two are going to just sit there are stare at me, I'm heading back to the guild hall. I'm sure there is some work Master Markarov needs done."

Doranbolt sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "She's pretty feisty."

"That is not surprising. Dragonslayers are known for having short tempers." Lahar stated, leaning back in his chair and pushing his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

"I'm right here, ya know; I can hear you two!" Hana snapped irritably. "Please stopping wasting my time which I could be using to help those suffering people and start the bloody interrogation already!"

Lahar locked eyes with Hana and the two became ensnared in a silent battle. Finally, the Rune Knight adjusted his glasses once more and said calmly, "Very well. We'll try and get you out of here as soon as possible. Let's begin. What is your history with Amazon Armor?"

"I joined their guild at a dark time during my life and stayed with them for many years. However, I left after realizing how cruel they really were."

"Have you had any contact with them since you left?"

"Yes, twice. The first time was when they hired a group known as the Reaping Crew to abduct me and bring me back to them. Fortunately, I got away with some help from Fairy Tail. The second time was yesterday when I went to ask them about my friend's disappearance."

"Yes, we heard your friend was abducted a couple days ago. Our deepest condolences." Lahar stated hollowly. "Do you think Amazon Armor is behind her capture and the attacks against the city?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To punish me for leaving."

"Do you have proof?"

Hana gazed at her hands. "No, I do not."

"Have you ever reconsidered rejoining Amazon Armor or another dark guild?"

"No."

"Have you ever desired revenge against your former guild?"

"No."

"Did you manage to get any information out of the Amazons?"

"No."

Doranbolt pinched the bridge of his nose irritably. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Patience, Doranbolt." Lahar cautioned his partner before continuing. "Hana, please describe what occurred on the night of your friend's abduction."

"Well, the Trimens had thrown Sierra a giant party at the guild hall to celebrate their reunion, and during the party the lights went out. A great wind filled the room, and everyone's money and valuables, except Lucy's keys, were snatched. Gray managed to trip the attacker, and everyone closed in on him. However, after glancing at a flyer in his hand, he made a beeline for Sierra and disappeared with her, leaving the paper behind. At first, we thought he had done so on accident, but we quickly realized he had done so on purpose when Natsu got a nose full of dragon weed fumes-"

"Dragon weed? What is that?"

"It's a tropical plant that messes with a dragon's sense of smell. Thanks to Natsu lighting the paper on fire and the smoke dissipating throughout the guild, none of our dragon slayers will be able to smell anything for about a week."

Doranbolt narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You seem to know a lot about this plant."

"My dragon taught me about many different plants when I was little. It was part of both my regular training and my preparation to become the Dragon Queen."

"That's an pretty high and mighty title." Lahar mused. "Do you ever think yourself above other people because of it?"

"No, not at all. I see myself as more of a guardian than a ruler. My job is to preserve the legacy of the dragons for generations to come and nothing more or less."

"Sounds like a stressful job."

"It's not so bad."

"Hana, I have heard from a few sources that you have the ability to control the other dragonslayers. Is this true?"

"Yes."

"Do you use this ability often?"

"No."

"Have you ever used it for your own selfish gain?"

"No."

"Would you ever consider using it for your own selfish gain?"

"No."

"Please tell us what you know about the attacks that occurred after you and the group you brought left town."

"I've only heard about a few of the attacks from the other guild members. The first attack was on some campers near the town border and the second attack was on a train."

"Have you seen anyone at your guild acting out of the ordinary lately?"

"No."

"Do you have anything else you would like to tell us."

Hana shook her head.

"Alright, then you are dismissed-"

Suddenly, the floor beneath the trio's feet shook violently, and a symphony of thunder and screaming filled the air.

"What's going on?!" Hana shrieked.

"Doranbolt, teleport us outside!" Lahar ordered.

Doranbolt quickly did as he was told and soon all three of them were standing outside in the road as people ran past them screaming.

"There!" Doranbolt exclaimed, pointing. 

One man stood in front of the guild while another hovered above it. Both of them wore dark cloaks like the others and reeked of dragon weed. Lightning crackled in the hands of the flying man, and at the feet of his grounded comrade, deep cracks ran into the earth. Both of them appeared to be aiming for the guild hall.

"The pedestrians. My guildmates. Freed!" Hana frantically galloped toward building fullspeed.

"Hana, wait!" Lahar called after her, but she didn't hear him. The Dragon Queen was focused on the hovering lightning mage as he drew back his hand and shot a massive bolt of focused energy at the guild.

"NO!!!" she cried as she watched the lightning streak through the air toward the hall, but just before it hit the building's exterior, a large wall of purple markings appeared and intercepted the blast.

"Runes...." Hana sighed in relief. The guild hall was safe as long as Freed kept up the barrier- "Wait a minute, where is Freed?!" 

"Hana!" Lahar's voice suddenly shrieked from behind her.

The Dragon Queen turned to see a torrent of water surging toward her. Thinking quickly, she dove out of the way, but the water just curved after her.

"Darn it!" Scanning the area for anything useful, Hana's eyes landed on a torch hanging by the door of a nearby building. Snatching the burning stick, she hastily inhaled the flamingo before spinning around to face the oncoming water.

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!" she cried before releasing a pillar of fire from her throat. Water met fire, and steam filled the area.

"I can't see!" Taking a cautious step, Hana listened carefully. In the distance, she could hearing the frightened shrieks of the fleeing civilians, and closer to her rose the shouts of Lahar and Doranbolt.

"Hana!"

The dragonslayer suddenly froze. She recognized that voice. "Freed?!"

"Hana!" Suddenly, a green blur emerged from the fog, and Hana was wrapped tightly in Freed's arms once more.

"Freed...." At first, Hana was relieved and snuggled deeply into his embrace, drinking in everything about him: his looks, his warmth, the beating of his heart, and his gentle touch. However, as she stood there with him, she realized that the one responsible for the barrier around her new home was standing in the middle of the open, completely exposed and vulnerable. "Freed, what you doing?! You need to get inside the guild right now!" Grabbing her comrade's hand, the Dragon Queen dragged him through the mist, listening and looking for anything familiar to help her find the guild hall.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of Hana's neck stood on end, and she leaped back just in time as a lightning bolt struck the ground where she had stood. Glancing up, she saw the lightning mage hovering just above her head, another bolt in hand.

"Stay behind me." She ordered Freed, pulling him close.

The man released the lightning bolt from his hand, aiming straight for Hana.

"Your little sparks aren't going to do anything to me." The Dragon Queen thought as she opened her mouth and closed her eyes. However, as the lightning bolt soared into her open maw, an awful sensation like a thousand bees stinging her at once filled her body. She staggered then fell to her knees, blood dripping from her lips. Shaking, Hana briefly tasted the contents of her stomach as they spilled from her mouth and onto the ground, and black splotches waltzed in front of her eyes. 

"Hana!" Freed yelped, kneeling beside her.

Hana leaned against Freed's body for support as she gasped for air. "That...That wasn't regular lightning...."

"Can you stand up?"

"I-I think so." Hana rose slowly and shakily to her feet, gripping onto Freed's arm tightly so she wouldn't fall. She scanned the area in front of her to find no one in sight. "Wait a minute, where did he go?"

Suddenly, Freed gave a startled cry as an orb of water enclosed around him.

"Freed!" Hana spun around only to be nailed in the side and sent flying. When she tried to sit up, a foot pinned her down beneath its heel, and more electricity was sent coursing through her body. The Dragon Queen sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from crying out. Instead, she glared up at the lightning Mage looming over her. Soon, his partner appeared beside him.

The sound of muffled grunting echoed off to Hana's right, causing the shadowy duo to turn. Inside the orb of solid water, Freed had his sword drawn and was feverishly striking against the walls of his prison, but the bubble only expanded and changed its shape to accommodate for the sword. Over Freed's mouth was a mask of runes, allowing him to breathe.

With a sigh, the lightning mage raised his hand and sent a blast of electricity toward the water bubble. The bolt hit the water, and Freed let out a scream as he was electrocuted before passing out. The water bubble evaporated, and the green-haired mage's body fell to the ground with a painful thud.

Hana stared at her knocked out friend in horror. "Freed's out cold! That means the protective barrier is down! The guild hall!" 

Squirming about, Hana shoved the lightning mage off of her and scrambled out from underneath him. Running to Freed's side, she placed her hand on his chest to make sure he was only knocked out and was relieved to feel his heart beating against her palm. Spinning back around, she found both of the men had vanished into the mist. Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet shook, and the sound of splintering wood assaulted Hana's eardrums. Through the mist, she saw a dark shadow moving towards her at an alarming speed, and she quickly grabbed Freed's body and dragged him out of the way as the fissure split the ground before her eyes. Thunderous crashes filled the air, and then all was silent. Slowly the mist dissapated, and before the Dragon Queen lay the ruins of the Fairy Tail guild hall.

"No!!!!" Hana cried, nearly dropping Freed as she ran to the heap of rubble of wood. Setting him gently beside her, she began to dig through the hall's remains, looking for any signs of life.

"Why didn't they come out to help? Why didn't they fight? Why didn't they-"

A sharp shout shook the Dragon Queen from her thoughts.

"Hana!"

"That sounds like Kiyo!"

A deeper voice called out again.

"Hana!" Laxus's voice shouted. "Hana! Freed! Can either of you hear me?!"

"Yes!" Hana answered, tears of relief flooding her eyes. "We're over here!"

As the mist continued to fade, Hana saw several figures racing towards her. Soon, she could make out their faces: Kiyo, Laxus, Natsu, Elfman, Wendy, and Erza.

"HANA!!!" Kiyo screamed as she tackled her friend into a hug.

Hana in return squeezed her friend tightly. "You're alive! Oh thank goodness you're alive! I thought you all were crushed when the guild hall collapsed!"

"We almost were, but thanks to Freed's barrier, we managed to get everyone out the back door before the building collapsed. Sorry that we left you two out here by yourselves." Natsu explained.

Erza bent over Freed's unconscious form. "What happened to him?"

"We were wondering the same thing." Lahar said as he and Doranbolt emerged dramatically from the fog. 

"He was knocked out by the two men who attacked the guild, buthe's alive." Hana replied.

"And you didn't try to protect him?"

"I was kinda busy being electrocuted at the time."

"I find that hard to believe. It would seem your abilities as the Dragon Queen grant you power over more than just earth."

"The lightning that guy was using wasn't regular old lightning!"

"I don't know if I can believe you. After all, you're the reason the guild was shrouded in fog so we couldn't see what was happening. I'm afraid the evidence all points to you, Miss Hana. By the order of the Magic Council, you're under arrest."

Hana sensed a presence behind her, and someone grabbed hold of her by her wrists. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Doranbolt had teleported behind her. The Rune Knight quickly snapped a pair of magic-suppressing handcuffs onto her arms as the dragonslayer squirmed in his grasp.

"Hey, let me go! I didn't do anything!" Hana exclaimed angrily.

"You have no proof of that. If you truly are innocent, I apologize for this inconvenience." Lahar stated.

"What do you mean if? I am innocent!"

"Hopefully the Council sees things the same way. Doranbolt, get us out of here."

"No! I won't let you take Hana! Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon." Natsu exclaimed, charging at the Rune Knights as flames danced in his hand. However, before he could touch them, the duo and Hana disappeared into thin air.


	18. Chapter 18

"Sierra?"

At the sound of her name, the blonde spun around to find Poseidon and Zeus looming in the doorway of her tent, their heads bowed. Suspense hung in the air like smoke, choking Sierra as she waiting for one of them to speak.

"We succeeded in destroying the guild hall." Zeus said, not meeting the blonde's eyes.

Sierra's heart wrenched, and she quickly turn her back to the spirits to hide the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. For a moment, she was too afraid to speak, but slowly, her lips formed the words, "And the casualties?"

"Zero."

Sierra glanced back at the brothers, her brows knit together in confusion. "Zero? How is that possible?"

"There was a barrier protecting the guild hall. While we dealt with the caster, the other members of the guild evacuated the building."

Sierra felt a sigh of relief swelling up in her throat, but she swallowed it. "Then why do you both look so downcast?"

The brothers were silent for a moment then Poseidon opened his mouth, "While trying to destroy the guild, we ran into Hana. The Magic Council blamed her for all the attacks of the last few days and had her arrested. They currently have her in custody at a location which we do not know."

At first, Sierra didn't feel anything; the shock of the news had overwhelmed her senses, numbing them. Slowly, she lowered herself into a chair as her mind struggled to process this new information.

"Hana, one of my closest friends, is in prison because of me? She is paying for my atrocious acts to protect Leo? That....That isn't fair! What have I done? When did I decide that Leo's life was more important than everyone else's? When did I become so selfish?"

The blonde gripped the armrests of her chair as she struggled not to give into despair. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears, drowning out Poseidon and Zeus as they called out to her. Her body trembled as the anxiety and guilt began to consume her, and her started feeling light as she gasped for breath. She could sense Zeus and Poseidon shaking her in a desperate attempt to free her from her panic attack, but they felt distant and far away. Suddenly, a bright light fills the room, and Sierra felt two pair of strong arms wrap around her. The soothing warmth of a summer day spreads throughout her body, chasing away the moths in her stomach, and the blonde allows her body to lean on the bodies holding her.

"Zeus, Poseidon, you both are dismissed." Apollo said as Artemis stroked Sierra's hair. Once the two brothers had exited the tent, he whispered in his master's ear, "They're gone; you can let it out."

"Apollo, Artemis, thank you." Sierra whimpered as her emotions raced back up her throat. With a loud sob, she buried her face into Apollo's chest, soaking his crisp, white shirt with her tears. Apollo and Artemis shared a look and then squeezed their master tighter.

"I hate this. I hate this so much. Why did I think for one second that this was a good idea? Now Hana's been arrested, and it's all my fault! How could I have been so stupid? Why didn't any of you try to stop me?!" Sierra blubbered.

"You know why. You wouldn't have listened to us. You were so worried about Leo's wellbeing that you became deaf to everything else." Apollo said.

"But why? Why did he mean so much to me that I completely forgot about everyone else?"

"Because you love him, Sierra. I may not understand why you adore him so, but I can tell that you do. Your selfless devotion to that lion made you willing to give up everything including you happiness and reputation to ensure his safety; from what Aphrodite tells me, that is the greatest display of one's love that can ever be given." Artemis cooed.

"But I put everyone else in danger, and now Hana's in jail-"

"We'll fix things, Sierra. Yes, bad choices were made and now there are consequences to accept, but you won't face them alone. We're here for you, and so are the others. It may be difficult to make things right, but I refuse to believe that it's impossible."

"I...I'm done. I'm done playing Hippolyta's game. I'm done being her pawn. My heart is not hers to toy with. I am not hers to manipulate. You hear my Hippolyta?! I'm done!"

Suddenly, Hermes stuck his head in through the doorway, a package clutched tightly in his hands. "Sierra-"

"Hermes! Don't you have the decency to knock?!" Artemis shrieked, shielding Sierra with her body so the redheaded messenger wouldn't see the girl's tears.

"It's a tent, Artemis! What am I supposed to knock on?" Hermes shot back defensively.

"Artemis, it's fine. Let him in." Sierra said calmly as she wiped her eyes.

Artemis glanced back at her master, a concerned frown on her lips, but she remained still as Hermes entered the tent.

"What is it, Hermes?" Sierra asked, standing up and stepping out of the twins' shadows.

Hermes bowed meekly and held out the box. "Uh, there's another delivery from the Amazons. Hippolyta included something with the letter this time."

Sierra gently took the package and stared down at it.

"What are you going to do with it?" Apollo asked.

"What I should have done in the first place." the blonde answered. "Call the others and tell them to abandon their posts around the city. Hermes, do you know where the guild will be taking residence until their hall is being rebuilt?"

"Yes. They have a spare hall just outside of town."

"Do you know the way?"

"Yes."

"Good. We leave as soon as everyone is back."

\---------------------

"I'm not standing for this! I'm gonna march up to the Council and knock some sense into them. There's no way that Hana did those things!" Natsu roared, kicking a chair and sending it flying across the guild, nearly hitting Gray in the head.

"Hey! Watch it!" the ice wizard snapped.

"I'm all fired up! That's it; I'm heading for the Council's headquarters! Who's coming with me!" Natsu exclaimed.

"You won't even make it out of that city, ya baka !" Gajeel snapped.

"Oh, and you will?"

"Heck ya I will!"

"Alright, I'll race ya! Loser has to take a train the entire way back home!"

"Yer on!"

The two dragonslayers spun on their heels, ready to sprint for the door, when Laxus suddenly grabbed them by their collars and slammed them both down into chairs.

"No one is going anywhere. You both need to stop and think for a minute. If we go and cause problems for the Council, that will just put more heat on Hana." the lightning dragonslayer grunted. 

Natsu gaped up at him. "So you want us to just sit here and do nothing?!"

"I don't like it any more than you do, but right now, it's the best thing we can do." Laxus grunted. He then added in a voice so quiet only the dragonslayers could hear, "And all your loud mouthing is making Freed feel worse, so shut up if you know what's good for you."

Natsu and Gajeel glanced at the green-haired mage curled up in the darkest corner of the guild. He hadn't said anything ever since he woke up, and anyone who came too close would immediately be chased off by a death glare. Even Mirajane and Erza wouldn't go near him, and Warren was too terrified to attempt any form of telepathic communication. Freed was completely isolated, his only company being the shadows that seemed to loom over him, draining the life from his body.

"His mood only proves my point. We need to get Hana back before he does something that makes Gajeel and I look sane." Natsu mumbled back.

"What's supposed ta mean?" Gajeel barked.

"I'll handle him if it comes down to that. Please just try to behave and don't add to the tension." Laxus said, releasing the two other dragonslayers' collars and standing up. Hearing footsteps, he turned to see his grandfather approaching him. "Did you manage to get ahold of the Magic Council?"

"Yes. Hana has been given one of the more comfortable cells and is being treated with utmost care." Master Markarov loud enough for Freed to hear. 

"Have they decided on her court date yet?"

"It should be sometime later this week..." Markarov was quiet for a moment.

"What is it?"

"I'm the only one they are allowing to attend aside from a few witnesses from the guild. They fear a riot breaking out if too many of us are present and don't approve of the ruling."

"That's bullcrap! Absolute bullcrap!" Natsu exclaimed. "If the ruling is unfair, someone should protest!"

"I agree with you, Natsu, but I believe that if we truly have Hana's best interest at heart that we should abide by the Council's request."

Natsu grunted in response but said nothing for deep down her knew the master was right.

"Besides, they have no solid evidence to convict her with, so there's nothing to worry about." the master added, trying to raise their spirits.

"That hasn't stopped them before, has it?" Freed stated bitterly, causing all eyes to turn to him. "They've done this to us before. They're afraid of us getting out of control, so they find ways to keep us in check. Hana may be innocent, but unless someone shows up saying he or she is the real culprit and has the evidence to prove it, Hana isn't leaving that cell-"

Suddenly, the doors to the guild flew wide open and in stepped a legion of hooded figures.

Natsu and the other guild members immediately jumped up, prepared to fight, but the mob made no move to attack. Instead, one of the figures stepped forth, a package tucked under her arm, and knelt before Master Markarov, holding out the box while pressing her face to the floor. For a moment, everyone just stood their staring, and then Markarov slowly took the box.

"Are you the one who has been attacking my family?" he asked.

The girl nodded slowly.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming here!" Natsu growled, grabbing the woman by her hood. However, he stopped and sniffed at the air. "Wait, what is that? I can smell again!"

"It's an antidote for the dragon weed. I had Demeter grow some before we came and brought it with me." The woman replied, keeping her head bowed as she pulled out a wad of mint green leaves. "This should be enough to clear up your nose as well as the noses of the other dragonslayers."

Natsu gently took the leaves into his hand and stared at it. Something suddenly struck him. "Wait a minute, Demeter...." Taking a deep breath, Natsu nearly choked as a familiar scent filled his nostrils.

"S-S-Sierra?" he stuttered, not wanting to believe.

The tension in the room became suffocating.

"Sierra, is it really you?" Natsu asked.

The woman said nothing. Slowly, the pink-haired dragonslayer reached out and pulled back the girl's hood, revealing her face. Sierra bit her lip, unable to look any of her guildmates in the eyes.

"Sierra...." Kiyo whimpered, not wanting to believe what she was seeing.

"We thought you were in trouble." Natsu said hollowly. Slowly, his lips curled back into a snarl and he grabbed Sierra roughly by her arms, shaking her. "Why?! Why did you betray us?! Why did you betray Hana?! She was your friend, and you let her go to jail for you! Why?!"

"Sierra!" Apollo yelped, drawing his bow and aiming at Natsu. "Let her go!"

Natsu ignored him. "Well, say something!" he screamed at Sierra.

"Natsu, let her go!" Loke demanded, pushing his way through the crowd.

Natsu glanced back at the lion, his eyes dancing with a fiery rage, but he dropped Sierra to the ground. The blonde immediately curled up into a ball at Loke's feet.

"Sierra, look up at me." he pleaded softly.

The blonde didn't move. She couldn't lift her head; she was too ashamed.

"Sierra, please."

Sierra shook her head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm afraid."

"Of what? Of me? Do you think I'm going to hurt you?"

Sierra said nothing.

"Sierra, please look at me."

Reluctantly, the blonde raised her head, her blue orbs locking with Loke's hazel ones. The lion's eyes weren't full of anger and disgust; instead they stared down at her with sympathy and concern.

Slowly, Loke knelt down to Sierra's level. "Why? Why did you do it?"

Sierra stared at Loke for a moment, her words caught in her throat. Then, in one swift movement, she threw herself onto him and began sobbing. "I'm sorry." she blubbered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry!"

Loke gently wrapped his arms around Sierra and kissed the top of her head.

Markarov glanced from Sierra to the box in his hands. Ripping off the attached slip of paper, he unfurled the letter and scanned it slowly. As he read, his hands began to shake and he clenched his jaw angrily. "Someone dared to blackmail one of my children?! How dare they!"

Laxus noticed the dark aura radiating off of his grandfather as the older man read the letter. "Gramps?"

Markarov crumpled the paper in his hand and turned to his grandson. "Get ahold of the Council. Tell them we know who the real culprit is and have the evidence to prove it. Once you've done that, contact Mermaid Heel and see if they can capture the Amazons before they learn that they've been exposed. Tell Kagura that I'll even pay her for any trouble the Amazons cause. I just want them caught."

Laxus glanced at Sierra, who was currently being hugged to death by Lucy and Kiyo. "And what about her? Amazon Armor may have blackmailed her, but she's the one who committed the deeds."

Markarov sighed. "I know. Leave that to me."

\-------------------

Sierra held her breath as the guild doors swung open and Hana crossed the threshold flanked by Lahar and Doranbolt. The brunette's eyes widened when she saw the blonde standing before her.

"Sierra? SIERRA!!!" she cried happily, running to her friend and wrapping her in a hug as best she could with her wrists cuffed together. "Oh thank goodness! I was so worried."

When Sierra didn't answer, Hana looked up see her friend's eyes were red from crying. "Sierra? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Sierra shook her head.

"Then what's the matter with you? You're safe here! I promise you that I'll make your kidnapper pay for-"

"I wasn't kidnapped, Hana."

Hana stopped. "What?"

"I said I wasn't kidnapped. It was a ruse I devised so no one would suspect me." Sierra repeated quietly, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Sierra, you're not making any sense."

"Hana, I'm the one responsible for the attacks against the guild and the city." Sierra confessed. "Hippolyta contacted me the night I reunited with Leo and threatened to hurt him if I didn't do as she said, and I was stupid enough to listen to her."

Hana stared at her friend, her expression blank. "She...She blackmailed you?"

"Yes, but that doesn't excuse me for what I did. I'm still responsible for my actions and humbly accept whatever punishment I am given." The blonde stated, bowing before Lahar and Doranbolt.

The two Rune Knights glanced at each other. "Miss, we would like to believe your story, but without physical proof to back up your words, we can't do anything."

"Fortunately, she does have proof. I believe this should suffice." Markarov stated, handing the letter and box to Lahar.

The Rune Knight frowned at the guild master, but after pushing his glasses back into place, he opened the letter and began to read with a critical eye. Doranbolt read the letter as well and peeked inside the box.

"Hippolyta wanted Sierra to kill you?" he asked Markarov. "But the guild hall has already been destroyed. Why continue to attack you?"

"To ensure that we stay down. Hippolyta cut off the head of the hydra, but in order to prevent it from growing back, she needed to burn the root." the master replied.

"Ha, like that would've worked. Killing the master would just make us even more fired up." Natsu scoffed with a wicked grin.

Sierra glanced up at Hana, who had remained silent for quite awhile. "Are you...Are you mad?"

"Oh I'm mad," Hana growled, clenching her fists, "I'm mad that Hippolyta would sink so low as to drag you and the guild into this."

Sierra sighed in relief. "So you're not mad at me?"

The dragonslayer shook her head and flashed her friend a sympathetic smile. "Of course not. I know how cruel and manipulative Hippolyta can be quite well. I promise you that no matter what, I won't let that witch lay another finger on you or Loke."

"Is that so? Well, fortunately for me, I have plenty of other people to dirty their hands for me."

All eyes snapped to the balcony to see Hippolyta sneering down at them. Natsu and Gajeel growled menacingly.

"Hana, please control your animals or I'll have to put them down." the Amazon Armor guild master cooed cruelly.

"How did you get here? The train is still in ruins and walking would've taken you too long."

"A little friend gave me a lift."

"Well, your threats mean nothing to us because Mermaid Heel is taking down the rest of your guild as we speak!" Erza exclaimed.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Suddenly, the large communication lacrima sitting on the bar began to flash and above it popped a picture of Kagura, beaten and bloody.

"Markarov, can you hear me?!' The girl cried, clutching her arm. "We need backup! The Amazons were expecting us and prepared an ambush! There's too many of them-"

Suddenly, a dark shadow encircled Kagura and she let out a scream. A small white orb flew out of the throat and was carried offscreen by the shadow's dark tentacles before the young wizard collapsed, leaving the transmission to end.

"That was Hades's Soul Suck spell." Hana gasped. Turning to glare at Hippolyta, she found that the woman had leaped from the balcony onto the main floor. "How did you know about the attack?"

"You really think I would blindly trust your little blonde friend? Ha! I never trust Celestial wizards. I had Hades keeping tabs on her to make sure she didn't try anything." the Amazon replied before turning to Sierra, "I have to say, Sierra, I've always thought of Celestial wizards as selfish, but you bring things to a whole new level. I told you exactly what I would do to Leo if you didn't cooperate, but you ignored me and blabbed anyways. I guess you and your cousin truly aren't that different."

"Liar! Sierra cares about Loke and the other celestial spirits very much. She is nothing like Karen!" Eve cried indignantly.

"And if you want to hurt Loke, you have to go through all of us to get to him." Natsu added as everyone in the guild formed a protective ring around the celestial spirit, ready to fight.

Hippolyta smirked in amusement at the fairies. "Oh, I don't believe I do."

In the blink of an eye, a familiar shadow filled the guild, and a startled yelp escaped Loke's throat as the darkness grabbed hold of him and dragged him into its embrace. Hades caught the lion and held him firmly by his neck as the spirit struggled.

"Loke!" Lucy cried.

"What took you so long? I was starting to wonder if I would have to actually fight them myself."

"Sorry, milady. We had to capture a few Mermaid Heel stragglers that managed to flee into the forest." Ursa cooed as she emerged from behind Hades. Grinning, she gently grabbed Loke's chin between her thumb and forefinger and gazed at his face. "Aw he's kinda cute. Are you sure we have to hand him over? I think he would make a wonderful addition to my collection."

"No, you cannot keep him. He would cause more trouble than he's worth, and that would run the risk of him being freed. Where he's going, he won't be able to escape." Hippolyta purred.

"No, I won't let you take him! Olympians! Rescue our friend!" Sierra cried.

The Olympian spirits all rushed forward in a mighty surge, but Ursa didn't waver.

"Hades! Bring forth our secret weapon!"

Hades glanced pleadingly at his master, "Ursa, that's going too far-"

"Do it or I'll break your wife's key and she'll die!"

Hades bit his lip but held up his free hand and chanted, "Death Magic: Soul Summon!"

Suddenly, a large wisp of glowing white smoke appeared before the god, however shapelessly in the air. However, as it began to take form, Sierra saw a familiar face emerge from the cloud.

"STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Sierra's spirits froze, and all eyes widened as the smoke changed into a human woman. As the being's eyes opened, Sierra felt her her stop as the girl gazed back at her with a pair brown eyes almost identical to her own.

"K-Karen?" she stuttered out in a voice barely above a whisper.


	19. Chapter 19

Karen blinked in disbelief as she stared at her cousin. "Sierra?"

"No...No, it can't be you. You can't be here! You're dead!" Sierra stuttered.

"Nothing is impossible when you add magic in the mix." Ursa grinned.

Sierra glanced back and forth between the two women. "So is she-"

"Oh, she's still dead; I don't plan on getting cursed for meddling in the affairs life and death. I merely had Hades summon her soul from the Underworld so I can use her against you." Ursa cooed, gripping Karen's shoulder.

"But if she's a ghost, doesn't that mean her attacks will pass right through Sierra's body?" Natsu asked.

"Oh they'll pass through her body, and along the way, the attacks will tear away at her soul till it's in shreds." the Amazon Armor Mage grinned.

"You say that like I'm going to willing fight my little cousin." Karen growled, glaring at the black-haired celestial wizard over her shoulder.

"You don't have a choice. I had Hades summon you so you do as I say."

"What did you just say?"

"I said you work for me, and you're going to beat your cousin to a pulp whether you like it or not." Ursa sneered. "But, instead of fighting me, you could take advantage of our partnership to achieve something I'm sure you've wanted for a long time. Help me and you can finally get revenge on Leo the Lion for your death. Say hi, Leo."

Leo groaned as Hades' grip on his neck tightened.

"Karen, don't listen to her! No matter what you did to her, Sierra always loved you! She never stopped, even after you died. Your favorite bird was the starling, right? Sierra's alias is Sierra Starling! She cares Karen; don't punish her for caring. Do whatever you want to me, but please leave her out of this." he gasped desperately, squirming in the god's iron grip.

Karen stared at him with wide eyes. "Leo..."

"You need to quit yer yapping. It leaves ya wide open. Club of the Iron Dragon!" Gajeel suddenly exclaimed as he charged Ursa and threw a punch.

"Wide open, huh? Hm, guess I better put up my shield." Grinning, Ursa dragged Karen in front of her. "Does this set up look familiar, Karen? Although from what I heard, you were always the one hiding behind the living shield."

"But if she's a ghost, won't Gajeel's attack just go straight through her too?" Natsu asked.

"Oh, she'll stop the attack. She'll probably have a large gaping hole in her soul that won't mend for the rest of eternity, but she'll protect me." Ursa sneered.

Karen trembled as the iron dragonslayer continued to charge. Whimpering, she closed her eyes and waited for the blow.

"No!" Sierra shrieked, running over to her cousin and standing in front of her.

"Sierra, what are you doing?!" Hana cried in horror. "GAJEEL, STOP!!!!"

Bound by Hana's Dragon Speech, Gajeel dug his heels into the ground and halted with his fists only inches away.

"Oh, typical good guys." Hippolyta cooed as she watched the battle from her perch. "So selfless. So foolish."

"Acid Touch!" As her hand turned bright purple, Ursa thrusted her arm through Karen's chest and raked her fingers across Sierra's side. Both girls screamed, and Sierra collapsed to her knees, holding her side. 

"Sierra!" Karen cried in horror, kneeling beside her cousin. Pulling the girl into her lap, she moved Sierra's hand out of the way to inspect her wound. The acid's fumes mixed with the pungent odor of burning flesh, causing Karen's stomach to churn as she stared at the severe, bright red burns on the blonde's skin.

Loke stared in terror as well. "Apollo, get her out of there!" he roared.

Moving quickly, the sun god raced toward his master.

"Don't or I turn her body to mush." Ursa threatened, aiming another magic blast at Sierra.

Apollo froze, but suddenly, someone's fist struck the Amazon hard across the face, causing her to stumble. Karen now stood over her cousin, trembling with rage. Her knuckles were bleeding.

"You struck me? You dared to strike me?" Ursa growled.

"No one hurts my little cousin!" Karen shouted back. "Being in the Underworld gave me a lot of time to think, and I realized a lot. I realized how wrong and cruel I was, to Sierra and everyone who cared about me. It might not be enough to make up for the years of torment and neglect I put her through, but if I die protecting my baby cousin who I care about, I will humbly do so." 

"Good because that's exactly what's going to happen. Hades, tear her soul to shreds and scatter the fragments throughout the cosmos!" Ursa ordered.

"Master, please don't make me do such a thing-"

"How many times are you going to argue with me? You are my spirit and YOU DO AS I SAY!!! I guess I've been too lenient with you lately, but I know how to fix that." Removing Persephone's key from her pocket, Ursa chucked it onto the ground and raised her foot over it.

Hades's eyes widened in horror. "No! Master, please don't!"

"Aw, don't worry Hades. I'm sure you can find another pretty girl to live with you in that hellhole you call home. Say bye-bye, Persephone!" Ursa sneered.

"No!"

A murderous light filled Ursa's eyes, but before she could crush the key into fine powder under her foot, two loud voices echoed through the air.

"Unison Raid: Sea Storm!" Zeus and Poseidon chanted, and a wave of water and lightning crashed into the dark-haired mage. Ursa collapsed and didn't get up, half conscious and moaning loudly.

"That's for hurting a member of our family!" Poseidon shouted.

Tears swam in Hades' eyes. "Brothers."

Striding over to Ursa, Karen reached into the girl's pocket and removed her key ring. Hades' already pale face turned ashen.

"Oh relax. I'm not keeping your key." Picking up Persephone's key as well, Karen placed the trinkets into her cousin's hands as Apollo healed the girl's wound. "And you can let the lion go now."

Hades dropped Loke without a second thought.

"Karen...." In the blink of an eye, Sierra had her arms wrapped around her cousin in a tight hug. The ghost smiled and gently hugged her back.

"I shouldn't stay long. I don't belong in this world anymore. I can already feel my soul beginning to fade away. You should send your spirits home too; they look exhausted."

Sierra glanced back at her celestial posse and realized she was right.

"I don't want you to go though..." she whimpered, burying her face into her cousin's fur cloak. "If I let you go then that's it. You won't come back again, right?"

"I could, but I shouldn't. The living should stick to their realm and the dead should remain in theirs." Karen said sadly.

"You've changed so much."

"So have you." Karen chuckled. "You've grow far more beautiful and kind and good and strong, and I'm so proud of you."

"Karen, did you mean it when you said you cared about me?"

"I meant every word."

Tears swam in Sierra's eyes. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too." Karen murmured. "Take care, and watch over Leo for me. Rumor is in the Underworld that he gets himself into quite a bit of trouble."

A weary giggle left Sierra's throat. "I will."

"Good girl." After placing a gentle kiss on her cousin's forehead, Karen turned to Loke. "Are you and Aries in good hands?"

The lion spirit nodded.

"Good. You two deserve it after all I put you through." Karen hung her head shamefully. "I cannot apologize enough times for all that I did to you two. Now I can finally see things from your perspective. I don't ask you to forgive me because I know that is too much to ask, but my last request as your former master is that you would watch over Sierra for me-"

Karen's voice broke off as Loke wrapped her in a tight hug. "You don't need to ask. We've already forgiven you, Karen, and we vow to protect Sierra with our lives. Now rest in peace."

"Leo....Thank you." With that, Karen closed her eyes and disappeared. Sierra released a muffled cry and buried her face into Apollo's shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay, Sierra. She made things right now and left with a smile on her face. She's happy now." the god cooed soothingly.

"You...You all should head back to the spirit world. You've been holding your gates open yourselves the past few days and you need to rest."

"But if we leave, who'll protect you?" Prince asked.

"Uh, we're right here!" Natsu exclaimed, gesturing the other guild members. "We can fight too, ya know! We're not completely useless!"

"Prince, I promise you that we won't let anything happen to Sierra." Loke said, walking over to the younger lion and setting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "So for your master's sake, please go rest."

Prince stared at Loke. "You better not be lying. Just because I look up to you doesn't mean I won't punch you in the face when you deserve it." he said halfheartedly.

"Good luck." Apollo said, and in a bright flash, all of Sierra's spirits vanished.

"Finally, now we can do some of the fighting!" Natsu cheered. However, when he looked up at the balcony where Hippolyta had sat, his jaw dropped. "Hey, where did she go?"

Hana heard Hippolyta before she saw her. "Master, look out!"

Master Markarov spun around to see the Amazon Armor guild master leaping from a beam above his head, a knife in hand and a murderous glint in her eyes. Fortunately, Laxus had heard her coming as well and stepped in front of his grandfather with his arm pulled back. As he swung, Hippolyta threw up her arms in a makeshift block, and fist met forearm with a loud smack. The force of Laxus's punch threw Hippolyta backwards, but before she hit the ground, the woman twisted in midair and landed on her feet, sliding backwards on the wood floor until she hit the wall.

"Not bad, but I've obliterated better." she sneered, rising to her feet. "Requip: Golden Girdle Armor!"

Bright flashes of gold blinded the members of Fairy Tail, and when their eyes adjusted, they found Hippolyta clad in armor completely made from golden. Overall, the armor appeared rather lightweight, consisting of only a small breastplate, a few plates on her forearms and shins, and some brown leather glovelets with golden spikes on the knuckles. Strapped to her back was a shiny golden spear, and hanging from her waist was a large belt that appeared to be heavier than most of the armor combined. However, the belt glowed with a strange aura that made her opponents feel uneasy.

Hana cursed loudly.

"What is it?" Natsu asked.

"That's Hippolyta's strongest armor; she never loses when she puts it on. The Golden Girdle, that belt around her waist, was given to her by Ares many years ago, and it grants the wearer the strength, stamina, and durability of a god!" The Dragon Queen explained. Her lips curved down into a thoughtful frown. "She hasn't worn it in awhile though since it uses up so much magic energy. Could it be that she actually sees Fairy Tail as a threat?"

Suddenly, a moan echoed from Ursa's lips, and she opened her eyes, gazing at Hippolyta. "Master....help me......."

Hippolyta glared daggers at the celestial wizard and yanked her up by her hair. "Help you? Why should I help you when you failed me?! Now, thanks to you, I have to get my own hands dirty. Fortunately, I know a way which you can redeem yourself." Grabbing hold of Ursa by her chin and forcing her to look her master in the eyes, the leader of Amazon Armor shouted an incantation in an ancient language no one understood and then held her mouth open wide like a snake. Wisps of soft yellow light spilled from Ursa's lips of she thrashed about helplessly and soared into Hippolyta's open maw. As Hippolyta's veins began to glow with the same golden shimmer, Ursa slowly struggled less and less as heavy bags appeared on her face, giving it a strained look. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back in her head and her body went limp. Hippolyta dropped the girl, who hit the ground with a heavy thud, and rose to her feet grinning madly.

"What was that?" Freed whispered in disbelief. "Is-Is she dead?"

"No, Hippolyta just consumed all of her magical energy so she can use it for herself. That is her other magic." Hana answered.

"That must be how she has survived for so long while being banished from the Celestial Spirit world." Sierra realized.

"That's much better." Hippolyta gazed around the room with hungry eyes as her body radiated with power, her lips twisting into a wicked grin. "But it's still not enough. Which of you should I drain next? Perhaps one of you two since Hana seems so fond of you?" She sneered at Sierra and Kiyo.

A low growl escaped Loke's throat as he pulled Sierra close to him, and Evergreen and Bickslow stepped protectively in front of Kiyo.

"Oh, are you three volunteering? How nice of you! I bet your energy will taste great!" Hippolyta cackled, lunging for Bickslow.

"Ivy Vines!" 

Thick green plants shot from the floor at Hana's feet and nailed Hippolyta in the side, sending her sending her flying once more.

"That's enough, Hippolyta! Your quarrel is with me. Stop being a coward and attack me directly!" the Dragon Queen roared, fists clenched.

"A coward, you say? Are you really in any position to call me a coward? Look at yourself! You're hiding behind all these people who have made the mistake of trusting in you. The Dragon Queen? Give me a break! You're nowhere near as strong as a dragon, and when things get too tough, you'll abandon this new guild you've wormed your way into with your sob stories and find a new host to feed off of."

"You're wrong. Fairy Tail is my family; I won't abandon them!"

"Amazon Armor was your family too, but look what you've done to us."

"Fairy Tail isn't like the Amazons. They are kind and understanding and comforting. They help me improve where I'm weak and in turn I can help others in areas where I am strong. This guild is full of love, not fear, and people really care about me here! I don't have to be afraid of showing how I feel, and when I can't stand up on my own, they help me to my feet instead of leaving me behind. Fairy Tail has been more of a home to me for a week than Amazon Armor ever was, and I shall return their kindness with my loyalty and protection even if it kills me!"

"How sappy. You had so much potential, Hana. It's a pity to see it all go to waste." With a mighty grunt, Hippolyta surged forward and tackled the dragonslayer. The sound of splintering wood filled the air as the two crashed through one of the guild's walls, creating a large hole, and tumbled outside into the open air.

"Hana!" Kiyo yelped, and the entire guild clustered around the opening to watch the fight.

"No one come out here! Freed, construct a barrier around the guild so Hippolyta can't drain any of you!" Hana barked as she staggered to her feet.

"But what about you?!" Freed cried.

"Just do it! I'll be fine!"

"But-"

"Now!!!"

Freed sighed and did as he was told. Soon, a wall of shimmering purple runes encased the guild.

"Aw, you're no fun." Hippolyta stated as she stood up, cracking her right shoulder. Slowly, she drew her spear and held it in front of her. "It's too bad you're not an actual dragon. I would like to hang your head on my wall as a trophy, but I don't think many people would approve."

Angry growls rose from the throats of the other dragonslayers.

"Nobody threatens our queen like that!" Gajeel hissed.

"Hana, beat her to a pull! Turn her into worm food." Natsu exclaimed.

"Gladly. This for hurting my new family. Roar of the Earth Dragon!" 

A torrent of dirt and loose earth shot forth from Hana's mouth and washed over Hippolyta. However, when the dust settled, the Amazon Armor guild master was still standing in the same spot.

"Wow, I was expecting that to hurt more. I guess you don't love your new family as much as you say." she shrugged and charged, aiming her spear at Hana's chest.

Hana slid to her knees as Hippolyta soared over her. Noticing the Amazon's outstretched hand, the dragonslayer rolled to the side before her opponent could grab her. Hastily leaping to her feet, she spun around and nailed Hippolyta in the back. "Wingslash of the Earth Dragon!"

The impact of Hana's attack sent the former celestial spirit flying before she crashed face first into the ground. As she rose to her feet, blood gushed from her now broken nose and busted lip, and flecks of dirt were stuck between her teeth like broccoli.

"Playing underhanded, are we?" she hissed, eyes narrowing.

"It's your fault for leaving yourself wide open."

"Oi, do women always talk this much when they fight?!" Natsu whined. "Stop socializing and start pulverizing, Hana, or I'll come out there and crush her myself!"

The Dragon Queen sent the gutsy fire dragonslayer a warning glare, and he immediately shrank back.

"That is if it's alright with you for me to jump in. Hehe, please don't kill me..." he added sheepishly before retreating to hide behind Laxus.

"Smooth, Pinkie." Gajeel snickered.

"Shut up. You would be scared too if she glared at you like that." Natsu snapped.

Turning her attention back to the fight, Hana found Hippolyta was charging her again. However, just before her spear made contact, she leaped into the air and flew over Hana's head. Twirling her spear, she slammed the butt of the shaft against the back of Hana's skull before plunging the point into her back, missing her spinal column by mere millimeters. As the Dragon Queen screamed, the Amazon landed behind her and swept other woman's legs out from under her. Hana fell forward with a thud, her shirt turning red with blood. Hippolyta yanked the spear from her opponent's back and raised her arm to jam her weapon in the girl's spinal column, paralyzingly her, but Hana hastily flipped over and kicked Hippolyta square in the stomach, sending her stumbling. However, as the Dragon Queen tried to stand up, she fell back to her knees, wheezing as spots danced before her eyes.

"She's losing too much blood. Hana, get out of there!" Freed cried.

Hana tried to stand up again, but a blow to the face from the butt of Hippolyta's spear sent her back to the ground. Grabbing handfuls of earth, Hana began hurriedly stuffing her mouth, trying to gain some more fuel, but before she could finish, Hippolyta grabbed hold of her by the throat. Grinning, the Amazon squeezed her the dragonslayer's neck, causing her to cough up some of the dirt she had just swallowed. Hana clawed desperately at Hippolyta's hands, struggling to pry them off as she gasped for air, but do to her loss of blood, her strength was dwindling.

"Hana, hold on. Rainbow Requip: Rose Crossbow!"

A light pink arrow embedded itself in Hippolyta's arm, causing her to drop Hana. The Amazon snarled at Kiyo, who had another arrow at the ready. However, as she stared up at the crowd, something felt off, like an important piece was missing.

"The other dragonslayers are gone!" she realized. "Where did they-"

"ROAR OF THE-"

"-LIGHTNING DRAGON!"

"-WIND DRAGON!"

"-FIRE DRAGON!"

"-IRON DRAGON!"

Hippolyta hit the ground as blasts of different elements all sailed over her head. She looked up to see Laxus, Wendy, Natsu, and Gajeel standing in a wide circle around her and Hana.

"You missed!" She sneered.

Laxus flashed her a cocky grin. "We weren't aiming for you."

As realization dawned on her, Hippolyta spun around with her spear at the ready, but Hana was already on her feet.

"ROAR OF THE DRAGON QUEEN!!!!!" she shrieked, blasting Hippolyta with a wave of magic that sent her flying into a tree.

"Don't move too much, Hana! I'll heal your wound!" Wendy called.

"No, don't come any closer! I don't want any of you getting too close! The magic you lent me will get me through."

"But-"

"GO BACK INSIDE!!!"

"I hate Dragon Speech!" Natsu cried as he and the other dragonslayers went running back into the guild hall.

Hippolyta staggered back to her feet, leaning on her spear for support, and Hana noticed how heavy her breathing was and how tired she looked.

"I think your armor is being of more harmful than helpful to you. You should take it off if you want any chance at beating me."

"You're attempts at tricking me are amusing. No Amazon would be stupid enough to remove her armor in the middle of a battle. She might as lay herself on her opponent's sword." Hippolyta wiped some sweat from her brow. "If my original followers, the true Amazons, could see me now, they would laugh at me and scold me for letting someone was weak as you join my legion. When I took you in as a weak child, I was going against my better judgement, and I have paid for it in full. Maybe if I still had all my old comrades by my side, I wouldn't have turned so soft. You are the result of my flaws and poor judgement so I cannot allow you to endure any longer. Die and burn for eternity!"

With a mighty battle cry, Hippolyta put all of her remaining energy into her legs and charged, aiming to impale the dragonslayer. Holding out her hands, Hana grasped the spear by its head, the sharp metal slicing through the skin of her hands.

"If I am your demon then you are mine. Haunt me no longer!!!" Ripping the spear from her opponent's hands, the Dragon Queen pulled her arm back. "Iron Fist of the Dragon Queen!"

Hana's fist connected with Hippolyta's jaw in a firm uppercut, and the Amazon Armor guild master fell on her back, unable to get up.

Cheers rose from inside the guild, and as Hana turned around, she was wrapped in a large hug from Kiyo. She bit back a hiss as her side throbbed and smiled weakly at the younger girl.

"You did it." she whispered.

"I did, but now I need to make it back inside the guild and get patched up before I lose the rest of my blood."

Freed removed the barrier as Gajeel and Laxus raced to Hana's side. Draping her arms over their shoulders, they carried her into the guild and back to the infirmary. As she was laid down on the cot, everything grew blurry and her body felt weightless. The last thing she saw before passing out was a face framed by a curtain of green hair staring down at her. Freed's lips were moving, but she couldn't make out what he was saying because his voice sounded far vaway. Slowly, her eyes closed, and she slipped into a dreamless sleep.

\----------------------

As everyone in the guild crowded around the infirmary doorway, no one noticed Hippolyta slowly rising to her feet and staggering out of the clearing in front of the guild and into the woods. Before she could get far, however, she fell in the middle of a nearby road. Hearing voices, she closed her eyes and waited for the servants of death to take her. However, as a warm light washed over her, she realized the voices were human.

"She looks half dead." one voice said.

"Get the wagon. We'll take her into the next town to get medical help." another older, gruffer sounding voice said.

Strong arms scooped up Hippolyta and set her down on some hard wood. Something was draped over her shivering body, and footsteps echoed off to her side. After a few moments, the sound of reins slapping against a horse's back and gibberish shouting filled the air, and the surface beneath Hippolyta began shaking. Opening one eye, Hippolyta noted that she was laying in the back of a small wagon with a blanket draped over her shoulders. Sitting at the front of the wagon were two men, one younger and one older. The younger man held the reins to the single chestnut brown stallion pulling the cart while the older man smoked some tobacco in a pipe. They appeared to be leaving Magnolia, which meant they would be on this lone forest road for a few hours before reaching the next town since they were in no hurry. Moving slowly as to not alert her Good Samaritans, Hippolyta slipped her hand into her pocket and gently grasped her spare knife between her fingers.

"I need to rest up a bit and gain some energy. After that, I must find the Collector before I disappear for good. Nemesis, if you can hear me, grant me your blessing and don't let those fairies escape my wrath."


	20. Chapter 20

Hana cringed as she opened her eyes only to have her pupils assaulted by the bright light of day. Groaning, she sluggishly reached up her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose to dull the throbbing in her head.

"Hana!"

When her vision cleared, the Dragon Queen saw Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel, and Laxus hovering above her, gazing down at her with earnest eyes.

"Do you guys know anything about personal space?" she muttered before flashing them all a weak smile.

The other dragonslayers laughed, grins chasing away their worried frowns, but before they could say anything, the infirmary door opened and in stepped Mirajane.

"What are your four doing back in here?! Get out! Hana needs to rest if you want her to get better!" the barmaid snapped, chasing them out. Once she was satisfied, she hurried to Hana's bedside and smiled down at the brunette. "How do you feel?"

"Hungry and stiff. How long was I out?" Hana asked as she tried to sit up. However, Mirajane quickly pushed her back down onto her back.

"A couple of days."

"Was anyone worried?"

"Only one person."

"Who?"

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door and Freed stuck his head into the infirmary.

"Mira, any-HANA!" Throwing open the door, the green-haired mage ran to the dragonslayer's bedside and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank goodness you're finally awake! How do you feel? You're not in pain, are you? Am I hurting you?"

Hana chuckled and hugged Freed back. "No, I feel great. Thanks for asking. Were you the one worrying about me? I was certain it was going to be Kiyo."

Freed's cheeks turned the color of roses. "Everyone told me you were just resting and not to worry, but I couldn't help it."

Hana smiled up at him. "Do all teachers worry about their students like this?"

"The good ones do."

The Dragon Queen's stomach gave a loud growl, causing her to blush.

"Are you hungry? I can go make you something if you want!" Freed exclaimed.

"Oh no you don't! You stay out of my kitchen; I just cleaned it! I'll make Hana something to eat, so you just make sure she stays in bed." Mirajane stated firmly. Turning back to Hana, she smiled once more. "Would you like anything in particular, dear?" 

"Something with lots of meat. Aside from that, I'm not picky."

"Alright. Don't you dare get out of that bed while I'm gone." With that, the barmaid spun around and scurried out if the infirmary, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

"What happened while I was out? Has Hippolyta gone on trial yet? And what about Sierra? She's not in trouble, is she?"

"Sierra's fine. The Council tasked her with free community service as her punishment. She and her spirits are also in charge of rebuilding the guild hall in town, but some of the others have agreed to help. As for Hippolyta..." Freed trailed off for a moment. "She got away. Everyone was so focused on you that we completely forgot to grab her, although in our defense we didn't think she would be getting up after a hit like that."

"Don't worry about it. After what happened, she'll be too ashamed to show her face back at Amazon Armor again. With her gone, the guild will hopefully dissolve and some of the girls can join a good guild instead. What about Mermaid Heel?"

"Erza directed a small rescue mission that turned into a full blown surprise attack, but Kagura and her girls are safe."

Hana sighed in relief. "Good."

"While you were out, I made you another lacrima recording. I also wrote some runes on it to help protect it." Digging into his pocket, Freed produced the shiny, fist-sized teal orb and set it in Hana's lap.

"Thank you. How much longer do you suspect I'll be forced to stay in the infirmary?"

"You'll probably be discharged today if you feel up to it. Why?"

Grabbing a pencil and pad of paper from the bedside table, Hana hastily turned on the lacrima and began scribbling down the letters. "If I work hard enough, do you think I'll be able to finish learning the alphabet before then?"

Freed's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't know. How many letters do you have left?"

"Only a few."

"Do you still remember all of the other letters?"

"Uh huh." Tearing off a fresh piece of paper, Hana hastily wrote down the letters she had learned so far, repeating their names and sounds aloud.

Freed felt his chest swell with pride. "She has already learned so much in such a short amount of time! I don't think I've met a more diligent student. She truly is amazing."

When she noticed Freed staring at her, Hana felt her face flush. "W-What is it?" she asked nervously.

Realizing what he was doing, Freed blushed as well and looked away. "It's nothing. I'm just impressed by how great of a student you are."

A shy smile crept onto Hana's face and she stared awkwardly at her hands. "Should I say something in return?"

"I-I only do well because I have a good teacher." she said meekly, avoiding Freed's gaze.

Freed's heart skipped several beats, and he nearly stopped breathing.

"Some of these last few letters are tricky though. Could you maybe help me?" the Dragon Queen asked the green-haired man innocently.

Freed quickly nodded since his throat had decided to close up and stop working, and he gently placed his hand overtop of the dragonslayer's. Soon, the two became so engrossed in their lesson that they didn't smell the heavenly scent of fresh cooking over hear the squeak of the door as Mirajane slipped quietly into the infirmary and set down the tray, not wanting to interrupt.

"They're so cute." she thought to herself as she watched them. "They're definitely going to need a push if this relationship of theirs is going to go anywhere though. Guess I've got more work to do."

\-----------------------

"Thank you for holding onto it for me for so long." Sierra said as she took the key from the shopkeeper. After walking with the Trimens back to Blue Pegasus, the blonde had headed into town to visit a shop she hadn't been to for a few years to take care of some business.

"It's no problem, dear. I was hoping you would take the key for yourself though." the old shopkeeper said with a smile as she gazed up at Sierra.

"As much as I would like to, I know it's a bad idea. Whether I like it or not, I'm still a Lilica, and we tend to let our power go to our heads if we're not careful." Sierra said as she ran her finger gently over the smooth white key.

"But you've found someone you trust enough that you'd give him or her this key?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail."

"Oh, I've heard of her. Yes, she'll be a nice fit for this key, no doubt." the shopkeeper's eyes suddenly turned a little sad. "She's the one who has Leo's key now, doesn't she? It's too bad Karen took him from you; I can still remember how excited you looked the day you walked into this very shop and bought his key. You were so much smaller then and I had a lot less gray hair."

Sierra chuckled at the elderly woman's remark. "At least he is finally in a pair of kind hands. How much do I owe you?"

"Consider it a gift from an old friend."

"Ma'am, I couldn't-"

"Nonsense! Take her and ensure she makes it safely into that Lucy girl's hands."

"Please let me give you some compensation for watching over it for me."

"She kept an old woman like me company for these past few years; that's compensation enough. Material things fade, but the kindness that girl has shone me will stick with me till the day I die. I need nothing from you."

Sierra bowed humbly before the shopkeeper. "Thank you so much."

The old lady smiled kindly at the young woman. "You're welcome. Now hurry up and get outta here. You're cutting into my lunch break."

Smiling at the elder's sense of humor, Sierra briskly left the shop, tucking the fine white key in her pocket for the time being. Standing beside a pole outside was Janus, his eyes fixed clouds above. Hearing the bell above the shop door jingle, he glanced over to see Sierra walking towards him.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Sierra nodded.

"Good because I'm bored." With a snap of his fingers, Janus opened a doorway and quickly shoved Sierra through.

As she set foot back in Magnolia, Sierra felt someone slam into her, and the two fell to the ground with a thump. Looking up, she saw a blonde man with a pink shirt and sunglasses on top of his head sprawled on the ground beside her.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

The man sat up and dusted himself off. "Ah, it's alright. No harm done-Wait, where's my camera?"

"Is this it?" asked Janus as he picked a professional camera up off the sidewalk.

"Yes, yes, thank you-" the man paused and peered closely at Sierra's face. "Hey, have I seen you before?"

"Uh I don't think so." Sierra replied sheepishly.

"That face.....would look perfect on the cover of next week's issue!" The man grinned and grabbed Sierra's hand excitedly. "Please let me do a photoshoot of you for the Weekly Sorcerer! I'll pay you handsomely for it!"

"A-A photoshoot? Of me?" Sierra asked, blushing.

"Yes! With a fresh beautiful face like yours on the cover, we'll sell millions of copies. Please please please do accept!" the man pleaded.

"I-I guess I could. I've never done modeling before though. I wouldn't want to do anything immodest either."

"Beautiful and modest? Oh, what a rare gem you are! Everyone is going to love you. So cool!" the man babbled excitedly. "Where can I go to find you again?"

"U-Uh, I work for Fairy Tail, so probably at the guild hall."

"Didn't the guild hall get destroyed though?"

"We have a spare one along the edge of town."

"Alright, and what's your name?"

"Sierra Sta-" Sierra stopped, as if considering something. "Sierra Lilica, my name's Sierra Lilica."

"Lilica? That sounds familiar. Are you sure I haven't seen you before?"

"I'm positive."

"Well, I'll come find you in a few days and we'll do the shoot. You can have someone with more experience join you since this will be your first time; just make sure she's cute. My name's Jason by the way. Now see ya! I've gotta start planning for that shoot!" With that, the man jumped to his feet and ran off, an excited grin on his face.

"He was weird. He could have at least helped you up." Janus said flatly as he pulled Sierra up.

"Next time we use your doors, you're going through first so you can make sure we don't run into someone or something again." the blonde stated firmly.

"Whatever. Can I go home now?"

Sierra sighed and nodded, and the spirit disappeared. After checking to make sure the key hadn't received any damage from the fall, the blonde hurried towards the guild hall. As she approached, she saw Lucy, Natsu, and Happy exiting the building, a large flier clutched in the blue feline's paws.

"Perfect! I got to her just in time!"

"Lucy! Wait!" Sierra called, racing up to the other blonde.

"Oh, there you are! I was hoping we would run into you before we left! Hana woke up, and Mirajane thinks she'll be dispatched later today." Lucy smiled.

"That's great! I'm glad I ran into you too before you left. I have a gift for you."

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise. "A gift for me?"

"Yes. I heard around the guild that your birthday is in a few weeks, and I also wanted to thank you for all you've done for myself, Kiyo, and Hana." Removing the glistening white key from her pocket, Sierra gently took Lucy's hand and placed the trinket in her open palm. Natsu stared down at the key critically.

"This key looks funny. Are you sure it's not fake?"

"Natsu!" Lucy shrieked in horror, slapping her companion.

"I'm positive. She is a minor Olympian key but very powerful." Sierra smiled.

"A-And you're giving her to me? Why?" Lucy asked as she ran her finger over the key's smooth surface.

"Because you are one of the few people I trust won't be corrupted by this key's power. Go ahead, call her out."

"I-I don't know the chant..."

"Gate of Freedom, I open thee. Liberty."

"Okay. GATE OF FREEDOM, I OPEN THEE! LIBERTY!!!"

There was a soft shimmer, and a girl materialized before the group. She was rather plain, with a simple white togs that fell to her knees and soft, loose brown curls tied back in a ponytail. Freckles dotted her skin, and her eyes shine a brilliant silver. On her right cheek just below the eye and on her left hand she had a few small white scars that should out against her pale skin. Her rosy lips curled back into a smile, revealing teeth as white as pearls.

"Hi, Miss Sierra. It's been awhile. Have you finally decided who you want to give my key to?" Liberty asked sweetly.

"I have. Liberty, this is Lucy Heartfilia; she is going to be your new key holder." Sierra said, gently pushing Lucy towards the spirit. However, Natsu stepped in the way, frowning as he looked Liberty over from head to toe.

"You don't look like a super strong spirit. In fact, you don't look like a spirit at all." the pink-haired boy muttered.

"NATSU!!! Why are you being so rude today?! Liberty, I'm so sorry about him." Lucy cried.

"It's okay, Miss Lucy. As for you, Mr. Natsu, looks can be deceiving. I'm not a spirit you want to tick off, especially when you're in trouble." Liberty smirked, gazing up at the the dragonslayer with a mischievous glimmer in her eye.

"Is that so? What do you do exactly? You don't seem like much of a fighter to me." Natsu snorted.

"I'm the goddess of liberty, so my magic pertains to that. I can free my owner from any trap, cage, maze, or prison. I also possess the ability to free celestial spirits from their contracts if I so desire, but I rarely use it because of the price."

"Price?"

"Yes. Liberty always comes with a price, Natsu. Whenever I break the bonds between a spirit and their key holder, I receive a scar. The size of the scar is determined by how strong of a spirit I'm trying to free and how strong his or her master is."

"Oh." Natsu's suspicious aura had vanished, replaced by one of concern. "Do they hurt?"

"Occasionally. I am very fortunate to have only freed a few weaker spirits so far, resulting in fairly small scars, but the larger the wound, the more it stings and throbs. I don't mind though; I'm happy as long as my brethren are safe." Liberty smiled softly. She turned to Lucy. "Would you like to establish our contract now, Miss Lucy?"

"I-I-I-" Lucy glanced at Sierra. "You really trust me with this kind of power?"

"I trust you more than anyone in the world." the other celestial wizard smiled.

"T-Then I'll make the contract. When are you available, Liberty?"

"Whenever you need me. I look forward to working with you, Miss Lucy."

"I look forward to it too. Close, Gate of Freedom."

As Liberty vanished, Lucy turned to face Sierra, "Thank you. I promise to take good care of her."

"I know you will. So, when do you want to resume your Star Incarnate training?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I don't think I'm going to continue my training."

"Oh?"

"I had Crux look up why Star Incarnate was erased from this world, and what I learned frightened me. I don't care if you continue to use that magic and I'm glad that your spirits trust you enough to share a bond like that with you, but as for me, I don't want that kind of responsibility hanging over my head."

"I understand." Sierra said calmly. "Now you better get going. You don't want to keep your employer waiting."

"Crap! The job! Natsu, Happy, come on! We're going to miss the train!" Lucy exclaimed, grabbing her partners' hands and pulling them down the road. However, she stopped a few yards from the guild and called back. "Oh, I almost forgot. Loke told me to tell you to meet him out the guild tonight at seven o'clock sharp. He didn't say why, but he told me to make sure you came otherwise he would die."

Sierra chuckled at the spirit's dramatics. "Alright. I'll meet with him. Good luck and try not to destroy anything. We're too busy rebuilding the other guild hall to take on any new projects."

"No promises!" Natsu shouted. "Don't you dare be a second late. I don't want Loke to die; I still have to get him back for suckerpunching me!"

"Natsu, that was forever ago. Let it go!"

"No way, Lucy! I'm going to get even, right Happy?"

"Aye sir!"

A soft smile graced Sierra's lips as she watched them go. Heading into the guild, she paused in the doorway and glanced around. Kiyo was sitting with Laxus, Bickslow, and Evergreen in a corner, laughing and smiling. On the other side of the guild, Freed was heading into the infirmary with a stack of books in his hands and nearly bumped into Mirajane as she hurried out with an empty tray. The other guild members were chatting, grinning, and goofing off, filling the building with a warm, comforting atmosphere.

"I missed being in a guild." she realized. "I missed the happy atmosphere that radiates off of everyone. I missed walking into a guild hall and being greeted by warm smiles. I missed all of this."

"Oi, Sierra, stop just standing there in a daze like an idiot and come inside! You're letting all of the cool air out!" Gray snapped.

Ignoring Gray's harsh tone, Sierra skipped over to the bar with a dreamy expression on her face.

"You seem to be in a particularly good mood. Care to share why?" Mirajane asked as the blonde sat down.

"I'm just reflecting over what has happened over the last week and realizing how lucky I am."

"I see." the barmaid cooed as she began cleaning the tray she was holding. "I overheard Loke begging Lucy to deliver a message to you this morning."

"Yeah, he wants to meet him outside the guild later today. I wonder why."

A high-pitched squeal escaped Mirajane's throat, earning her many curious glances as she grabbed Sierra's hands excitedly.

"Oh, I think I do! I bet he's going to ask you out!" the barmaid giggled, her eyes sparkling.

Sierra stared at her. "Ask me out? Why do you think he would do that?"

"Oh, come on, Sierra! Don't play dumb! It's obvious that he likes you!"

"I'm not playing dumb. I truly don't see why Leo would be asking me out."

"Oh, so you're in denial then? Well, that doesn't matter; you won't be able to ignore the truth for much longer.. Just wear something nice when you meet up with him tonight, okay?"

Noticing one of her keys was starting to glimmer, Sierra sighed. "I don't think I'll have a choice."

"Oh? Whose key is that?"

"Aphrodite's. I better leave before she makes a scene. Tell Hana I say hi and that I'll come see her as soon as I can."

"Alright. Bye, Sierra! Have fun on your date tonight!"

"It's not a date!"

\----------------------

"Darn it, Aphrodite. You had to go overboard, didn't you?" Sierra grumbled aloud was she tugged down the skirt of the knee-length, strapless black dress the goddess had forced her to wear. Once she was satisfied with it, she began fingering a strand of hair that had come loose from her curly updo. "Where is Leo? It's starting to get dark."

Merry laughter echoed from inside the guild as warm yellow light shine through the windows. Meanwhile, the stars were beginning to sparkle in the sky above Sierra's head as the evening sun crept farther down the horizon. A cool breeze raced up the road, whipping around Sierra and causing her to shiver.

"Maybe he got busy and can't meet me tonight-Wait, why do I feel so disappointed? It's not like this was important to me, right? Right. I'll just head inside the guild and have some fun with the others. Let that lion stand me up; I don't care-"

"Sierra!"

Sierra's eyes widened when he saw Loke come running up the road, panting. As he drew near, he stopped and stared her up and down, and his lips curved upwards into a sly smile.

"Well don't you look fancy? What's the occasion?" he purred.

"You're late. I made sure I was on time for your sake, and you let me to stand out here for half an hour in the cold. I'm not amused." Sierra said flatly, completely ignoring the spirit's question. "I thought you were supposed to be a gentleman."

"Heh heh, oops. Sorry. I should have told Lucy you could wait inside in case I was running behind." Loke rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Crap, I really am sorry about that. I usually plan better, but my mind has been kind of foggy lately."

Sierra sighed and gave the spirit a small smile. "Well, no harm done, I guess. Now why did you want to meet with me?"

"Well, I have something I want to show you. Do you trust me?" Loke asked, holding out his hand.

Sierra stared at him for a moment then took it. "Yes."

"Good, now hold on." Pulling Sierra close to his chest, the lion spirit scooped the girl up bridal style before taking off down the road.

"Leo, where are we going?!" Sierra squeaked, surprised by his behavior.

"It's a surprise."

As soon as the two entered Magnolia, Loke sprang up onto a rooftop and began leaping from shingled roof to shingled roof across the city.

"Leo, what are you doing? Please be careful and don't drop me!" Sierra cried, hugging the spirit's neck tightly.

"I won't drop you, my goddess; don't worry. We're almost there anyways."

"Where?"

"Here."

Loke landed gracefully on the flat top of one of the tallest buildings in the town. Laid out on the shingles was a picnic blanket surrounded by jars of fireflies. Sitting in the middle of the blanket was a large basket filled to the brim with plates, silverware, and Italian food.

"I was originally going to use candles for the lighting but I decided it was a bad idea." the lion purred as he set Sierra down on one side of the blanket before sitting down on the other.

"Leo, this is beautiful." Sierra murmured, completely in awe of the beautiful scene before her. "I-Is this a date?"

"I guess you could say that." Loke grinned as he began rummaging through the picnic basket.

"Why? Why would you take me on a date?" Sierra asked, confused.

Loke looked away from her before replying in a voice so quiet that the blonde barely heard him. "Because I like you."

Sierra's heart stopped. "Y-You what?"

"I said I like you. No, that word isn't strong enough. I love you, and before you say anything, please hear me out. I know this may be awkward since I was your friend when you were a child, but I can't help it. When I saw you again, my heart went wild and the events of the last week have only deepened my affection for you. I've had crushes before, but how I feel towards you is so much stronger than that. I know the Trimens are your friends as well and we're just trying to be nice, but they worried me because they were competition. I didn't want to risk you getting whisked off your feet by one of them instead of me. I know my confession probably appalls you, but I had to tell you before my heart exploded. I know it is unlikely, but...but do you love me also?"

Sierra stared blankly at Loke, unable to say a word. With a sigh, the lion hung his head.

"Well, this just got really awkward-"

Suddenly, Sierra lunged forward and wrapped Loke in a tight hug, burying her face into his chest.

"You silly lion, of course I love you; I always have. Why do you think I was so determined to protect you from Hippolyta?"

Loke was stunned. "B-But what about your crush on Eve all those years ago?"

"I liked Eve, but not as much as I liked you. I just thought you wouldn't take me seriously or would be weirded out so I never said anything. You have always been the object of my affections, Leo."

"R-Really? Look me in the eyes so I know that you're not lying!"

Sierra lifted her head, and in the blink of an eye, Loke had his lips pressed firmly against hers. The two just sat there for a moment, lips locked together, and drank in the beauty of the person sitting across for them. Slowly, they broke the kiss, and Loke leaned in close to Sierra's ear.

"My goddess, I can think of no better way for me to protect you than to spend my days by your side. Will you allow me to court you?"

"Y-Yes."

Loke chuckled and pulled her close. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"Yes. He stole it from me along with a kiss. He's very bad." Sierra smirked.

"But you love him, right?"

"More than he knows. Of course, I hope he realizes that in asking to court me, he has accepted the fact that he'll have to answer to Artemis and Apollo if he hurts me."

Loke gulped nervously. "Oops, I forgot about those two. However, my decision remains the same."

"Good. Now that that's settled, I'm starving. What's on the menu?" Sierra asked, peering into the basket.

Loke chuckled and pulled out some takeout boxes. "Spaghetti from the best Italian restaurant in all of Fiore."

"Mm, fancy."

"Only the best for you, my goddess."

Sierra giggled. "So, when are you going to tell everyone else?"

"As soon as possible so they know to keep their hands off you. You're mine now and I'm not letting you go ever again." Loke growled playfully.

"You better not. It took me nine years to find you again, and I would hate to spend another day apart from you."

Grinning, the two began to eat as they watched the stars twinkle overhead.

"Sierra, are you worried since Hippolyta got away?" Loke asked suddenly.

The blonde paused for a moment then shook her head. "No. The person she's looking for doesn't want to be found. I know because I looked for him for three of the nine years we were apart....." she trailed off for a moment, deep in thought.

"Sierra?"

"She did have that flier with Leo's picture on it. Maybe the new address was on the back?" Sierra thought to herself. "Still, Hippolyta was too injured to get very far, especially on foot. She has probably ceased to exist by now; there's no need to worry."

"Hello, earth to Sierra! Please return from the depths of your mind to the land of the living!" Loke called, waving his hand in front of the blonde's face.

Blinking, Sierra smiled and gave the spirit a gentle shove. "Sorry, I only respond to good little kitties. Come back when you've learned some manners."

Laughing, the celestial spirit smiled and returned to his spot. "So you're not worried?"

Sierra shook her head. "I feel bad though. Hippolyta was so bitter towards celestial wizards, and I honestly don't blame her. Some of us can be so cruel; I wish I could do something to change that."

Loke's eyes sparkled and he took Sierra's hands in his own. "Your concern for my kind is touching. I know you'll find a way to make things better between our two races because if you can't then no one can."

"No pressure there." Sierra chuckled.


	21. Chapter 21

When he heard thundering hoofbeats, Kronos glanced over his shoulder to see a lone horse and rider charging up behind him on the dark path. He frowned, puzzled.

"No one should know of this road. Why is someone traveling it and in the middle of the night no less?"

The celestial spirit could hear the heavy pant of the woman of the horse and as she drew near, he could see the dried blood staining her once shimmering gold armor.

"K-Kronos..." she called out softly in a strained voice.

Kronos frowned, confused. "Hippolyta? Is that you? I heard you were dead."

"I soon will be. That's why I needed to see you." Slowing her steed to a stop, the former guild master jumped to the ground only to stumble. Fortunately, Kronos caught her before she could hit the ground.

"What could be so important that you come to see me with death nipping at your heels?"

Removing the flier she had shown Sierra from her pocket, Hippolyta held it up for Kronos to see. "I found him. I found Leo the Lion. He is currently under contract with a mage named Lucy Heartfilia." she panted.

Kronos' eyes widened in surprise when he saw the flier then a cruel smile crept onto his face. "It would seem your hoarding habit has paid off."

"There's more. I found the Collector's brat granddaughter too. She's currently working alongside Miss Heartfilia and her companions."

"This news is quite helpful. I will fetch your reward and then-"

"I don't need the reward. I know what will be waiting for me in Hades' kingdom and I don't mind waiting a few centuries on the banks of the Styx to get it." Hippolyta stated. "All I ask is that you end me now so I can die with what little dignity and pride I have left."

Kronos nodded grimly and reached for the sword on his belt. Wasting no time, he plunged it into Hippolyta's chest before pushing her to the ground.

"Thank you. May the Fates grant you success....." Hippolyta gasped before the light faded from her eyes and her body went slack.

Kronos gazed at the woman's corpse for a moment, but when he heard running feet coming towards him, he hastily shoved her into a ditch along the edge of the round.

"Lord Kronos, is that you? I thought you said you wouldn't be back until tomorrow!" the servant girl exclaimed as she raced towards him, a lantern clutched tightly in her hand.

"It is tomorrow, you stupid mortal. It's the early hours of the morning." Kronos snapped in annoyance, the moonlight glittering off of his whitish blonde hair. 

"R-Right sir. I'm sorry, that was my mistake-Lord Kronos, why are you covered in blood?!"

Kronos glanced down at his clothes and realized Hippolyta's blood had splattered all over them when he stabbed her. He sighed and grumbled something under his breath.

"You ask too many questions." he hissed, his black irises glistening, and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the young girl yelped in pain and hunched over, holding her back.

"That is the crippling back pain you will experience when you turn sixty." The titan sneered as he took the girl's oversized cloak and draped it around his shoulders to conceal his bloody garments.

"L-Lord Kronos, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to anger you. Please show me mercy and undone your spell." the girl stuttered, tears in her eyes.

"Hmm, normally I like begging, but when coming from you it's annoying." Snapping his fingers again, the cruel spirit watched as a cloudy haze blanketed the girl's beautiful eyes. "This is the blindness that will steal your sight if you live to reach ninety."

"P-Please, Lord Kronos-"

"What part of your begging being annoying don't you understand?!" With a growl, Kronos shoved the girl to the ground and kicked her firmly in the stomach. "Now head back to the master and tell him I have found a new lead on our missing spirit so I'll be gone for a few days. Also, make sure you get back to the mansion before the wolves find you."

"W-Wolves? But I thought Master had Echidna and her children hunt them all down-"

"That brood?! They're lazy and incompetent. They caught enough of the wolves to please our master but not all. That being said, I would hurry home if I were you, if you can find your way that is. The blood from my hands smeared onto your clothes, so the beasts will find you soon if you don't move quickly."

"L-Lord Kronos, please don't leave me..." the girl whimpered as heard the titan's footsteps grew fainter and savage howl echoed off to her right.

As he walked back down the path, Kronos stared up at the stars, deep in thought.

"Sierra and Leo, both alive and well again. This is some good information, but one question must be answered before I tell Master: How can I benefit from this?" He wondered.

//Coming Soon: The Collector's Chronicles II: Twilight Approaching//


End file.
